


Marks and Scars

by Sweq



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Incest, Master Cassandra, Master Pike, Master/Slave, Past Abuse, Slave Grog, Slave Keyleth, Things Get Better, dubcon, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2018-10-09 07:22:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 47,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10406868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweq/pseuds/Sweq
Summary: In a world slightly different from the one we know, Cassandra receives a very unusual birthday gift that greatly changes two lives.





	1. Shopping and Shipping

**Author's Note:**

> This is essentially the world of Critical Role, with a number of key differences. Slavery is legal in most places. Whitestone was never taken over by the Briarwoods. The Ashari were all but wiped out by the Chroma Conclave about twenty years ago.

Taryon Darrington stood out, as he often did, in the bustling market square. He wore his armor, despite the lack of danger that Emon faced these days. There was also the massive metal man that followed him everywhere.

"Doty, take this down," the artificer said. The automaton lifted it's quill and loomed forward, listening, "There was only a week left until the Lady Cassandra's birthday, but I was determined to find the perfect gift, something unusual, something exotic..."

Before he could finish the thought, he felt someone tap lightly on the shiny metal vambrace that covered his forearm, "If it's an exotic gift that you want, my Master has just the thing." Tary turned to see a bespectacled Half-Elf, who was dressed in simple robes of a pale purple, with a slender silver circlet about her throat.

The young woman was dressed in a simple robe of a light purple color and wore a slender circlet of unbroken silver about her throat. Tary recognized the mark of a slave, and nodded, "What, praytell, does your Master offer?"

The Half-Elf bowed politely, and kept her eyes lowered as she spoke, "Thank you for hearing me, my lord. My Master sells the finest slaves between the Ozmit Sea and the Lucidian Ocean. You'll not find the like anywhere else in Emon or all of Tal'Dorei."

The alchemist lightly stroked his beard in thought, "A slave might suit young Cassandra very well. They're none too common in Whitestone. Very well, take me to your Master. Doty, we'll pick up the tale later."

The trio made their way to the edge of the marketplace to a shop with a sign bearing a unicorn and the name 'Gilmore's Glorious Goods' in large purple letters.

The slave opened the door and ushered the others inside. There was an open space, flanked by shelves. A large counter took up most of the wall opposite. Tary's attention was caught by the beaded curtain, or more accurately, by the man who stepped through it.

"Ahh, Sherri, you've brought customers. Excellent, excellent. You may call me Gilmore and I am happy to be of service. And just what might you be in the market for, my good man?" He was Human, with a dark, smooth complexion, flowing black hair and a well-groomed goatee. He dressed in purple, and his neck and fingers were adorned with gold.

The artificer smiled broadly, "Yes indeed. Straight to business. Your girl said that you were the purveyor of the finest slaves in the region. I am seeking a gift for a young noblewoman for her birthday. Something exotic and unique."

Gilmore bowed, "She has not steered you wrong. I am Emon's only dealer in bindmarked slaves. I apply the marks myself, you see. You are familiar with the slavebond, are you not?"

Tary pursed his lips, "My family owns a number of slaves, though I am served most faithfully by Doty, my own creation. I have, of course, heard of the mark and the bond, but I thought those were just rumors and legends."

Gilmore smiled, "Ahh, most slaves are just as you're used to. People who have, through birth or circumstance found themselves up for sale and existing as servants, for the most part. But I, and a few other particularly gifted Arcanists, have the ability to place a bindmark on a slave."

The purple-clad mage continued, "If a Master touches a bindmark and is able to form a bond with the slave, then that slave is his or hers forever. They would be incapable of defying their master. In fact their obedience is immediate, to any command, no matter what. However, the slavebond rarely forms. It's been likened to true love."

The artificer smiled, "Still, there is a thrill in knowing that it could happen. I take it you have marked slaves available for purchase? I would like to see your selection."

Gilmore frowned, "I had several, but recently sold most of them to a group of buyers from... Well, I do pride myself on my discretion, so I shall speak no more of that. To the matter at hand, I'm afraid I only have one marked slave at the moment. In waiting on a shipment of supplies to resume the process. If you would care to return in a week or two?"

Frowning himself, Tary shook his head, "That won't do. Cassandra's birthday is in a week. I am leaving by airship tomorrow. I'll have to take the one you have."

Gilmore nodded slowly, "I understand your dilemma." He gestured to Sherri, "Bring in the Ashari." The girl left the room through the curtain and the mage spoke again, "She's a fragile, broken thing. When the Ashari were scattered by the Dragons decades ago, she was one of the survivors. Bought and sold a dozen times. I acquired her in a game of cards. You should know that she's been abused, and hasn't had much training. I was hoping that the mark would give her some confidence. But..."

Sherri returned, followed by a scrawny, bedraggled-looking wisp of a Half-Elf with long red hair. She was dressed in a simple dress of brown homespun and the slender silver ring that marked her station. Tary also couldn't help but notice the swirling, shifting black mark upon the girl's right shoulder. It resembled a constantly-moving tattoo and could only be the bindmark.

Tary nodded, "I see. And this is all you have for now?" The Half-Elf kept her eyes downcast, wringing her hands together behind her back.

Gilmore nodded, "For a week or two. She's quite compliant, however, and will do as she's told. I can make you quite a deal for her. If you'll just come with me, I'll draw up the paperwork." The two moved off to the side to conclude their business.

_Just like that_ , the Half-Elf thought, _I have a new Master_. She took a deep breath, and blinked back tears. Maybe this time would be different.


	2. The Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra receives her gift and just begins to realize what a unique present she is.

The party had been going for some time. Dinner was over, and the musicians had started playing to entertain the castle full of guests. Cassandra Johanna Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo sat in a place of honor in the grand ballroom, surrounded by a sea of presents from her parents, siblings, and other well-wishers.

One of the castle heralds rushed up, a blush on his face. He gestured to an armored man standing off to one side of the room, "We forgot to announce and present one of your gifts, milady. From a Taryon Darrington, of Wildmount, I believe."

Cassandra nodded and blinked, "Another gift? Well, I suppose it would be rude to say no." She laughed softly and bowed her head to the artificer as he approached.

Tary bowed and smiled brightly, "My dear Cassandra, I know that you probably think of me as your brother's friend, but I wanted you to know just how much I respect you. I understand that your studies are going quite well, and so in honor of your birthday, I present you with...this."

The Half-Elf slave stepped out from behind Doty, and sank to her knees before Cassandra's chair. Tary had taken the time to get her cleaned up. She was dressed in a dress of simple design, but excellent quality, a soft green color that would bring out the girl's eyes if they weren't locked on the floor. Her hair had been washed and brushed, and now shined like copper in the brightly lit room.

Her feet were still bare, and her only other adornments were the silver ring about her neck and the shifting mark upon her shoulder. Even though she had been fed three meals a day on the journey to Whitestone, the girl was still very thin.

Cassandra gasped softly at the sight, "A slave? But I... None of my siblings have one and..." She paused and collected herself, "Thank you very much, Taryon. She is beautiful. Is that mark on her shoulder what I think it is?"

The alchemist smiled and bowed his head in assent, "A bindmark, yes, milady. Would you care to see if you can form the bond?"

Cassandra nodded softly and rose from her seat. She reached down and lightly touched the girl's hair, "Rise, please. Do you have a name?"

The girl lifted herself to her feet slowly, almost hesitantly, "As my Master wishes," she whispered. It took Cassandra a moment to realize that the statement was meant in response to her earlier question. 

The noblewoman smiled gently, "Well, yes, I suppose. I could make up a name for you, but you must have a name. Won't you please tell me?"

The Half-Elf shivered slightly. No one had asked for her name in years. She had been called simply 'girl' or 'slave' for so long. But at her new Master's request, she nodded softly, eyes still cast down, "My name was Keyleth, Master."

Cassandra stepped closer and cupped Keyleth's cheek gently with her right hand. The Ashari flinched slightly at the touch. Cassandra sighed gently and slowly lifted her left hand toward the mark on the girl's shoulder, "I won't hurt you, I promise. I'm going to see if we can bond. Would that be alright, Keyleth?"

The Half-Elf kept her head down, but repeated, "As my Master wishes," in her small voice.

The young brunette moved her fingers slowly until they gently came into contact with the squirming black arcane mark. The motion of the substance, whatever it was, instantly ceased. The mark glowed with a dark purple energy and slowly reformed itself into the image of a tree. It now looked almost exactly like a tattoo, though a faintly glowing, magical one.

Keyleth gasped and she lifted her head at last. Her eyes flashed with the same purple energy as she looked directly into Cassandra's. The two simply stared at one another for nearly a full minute.

Finally Percival, one of Cassandra's six older siblings, lightly poked her shoulder, "Did it work? This is fascinating. I don't know anyone who's seen a successful slavebond."

The young Human woman blinked, and looked at her brother, "I think it did, yes." She looked back to Keyleth, who had quickly returned to her knees, "I have no idea what this means. Keyleth, do you know anything about this?"

The Ashari shook her head slightly, "I do not, Master. Only that the mark was placed on me by Shaun Gilmore in Emon. I do not know what it means or what it is supposed to do."

Cassandra tapped her chin thoughtfully, "The stories say that a bound slave has to do whatever their Master says. We can try that." She thought for a moment, "Keyleth, I want you to swat Percy here on the derrière."

The Ashari did not move.

Nodding, the young woman rubbed her hands together, "Keyleth, swat Percy on the rump. Now."

The Half-Elf's eyes widened as she found herself rising to her feet. She moved over to Percival's side and struck him sharply on the bottom with the flat of her hand. She squeaked and dropped immediately back to her knees, "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I couldn't help myself."

Percy rubbed his backside and glanced at his younger sister, "Very good use of your new bond, Cass. But I would call that a successful test."

Cassandra bent down and stroked Keyleth's hair softly, "I'm sorry, my dear. I promise I won't make you do that again. I feel like we've both had a long day. Perhaps it's time for bed?"

The Half-Elf's mind was racing. She had been a slave for the vast majority of her life. She was used to obeying commands, even ones she didn't want to. But that has been something else entirely. She had wanted only to comply with her new Master's command, once it had been worded as a command. Nothing else mattered.

Keyleth blinked as she realized that her Master had asked her a question. Something about bed. She bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes, "As my Master wishes," she said. _She's young. Maybe she just means sleep and not... the other thing_ , she thought. But this young woman was her Master, and Keyleth belonged to her now. If she wanted the 'other thing', the it was Keyleth's duty to provide.

Cassandra let out a soft sigh as she saw at least a bit of the struggle on the Half-Elf's face, "You can sleep in my room. But you don't have to sleep in my bed. I have plenty of extra blankets and pillows. And I can have an extra bed brought in tomorrow. Would you like that?"

The Ashari lifted her head, but only for a moment. She had been taught repeatedly that a slave keeps her eyes down, it wouldn't be proper to look into a Master's eyes as though they were equals. She winced, steeling herself against a blow that never came. Blushing, she slowly nodded, "As my Master wishes."

Cassandra said her goodnights to the guests, her siblings, and her parents. She took Keyleth's hand and led her back to Taryon, "Thank you so much for my gift." He bowed his head and smiled warmly, "Truly my pleasure, milady. May she bring you great joy."

With a curtsy, Cassandra took the Half-Elf through the halls of the castle, eventually arriving at her room, "I'll give you the tour tomorrow, Keyleth. This is going to be your home now, and I hope you come to love it as much as I do."

The redhead offered no response, instead taking in the massive bedroom. Most of the houses she had lived in could fit in this room, in fact. Once she had taken a good look around at the high ceiling, the huge window, the gargantuan four-poster bed, and the shelves of books, she moved to the foot of the bed and sank to her knees.

Cassandra was rummaging through a large chest, and had begun pulling out blankets, making a little pile of them at her side. She gestured to the bed, "Grab some pillows, Keyleth."

With a squeak, the Half-Elf rose and walked toward the other end of the bed. She bent down and clutched a pillow in each hand, then simply stood there, not quite sure what else to do.

The young noblewoman giggled, "Sorry. I forgot already. I will try to be more careful. Please bring them to wherever you think you'd be comfortable sleeping and we will make a little bed for you."

The Ashari nodded and went back to the foot of the bed. Cassandra carried the blankets over and arranged them, taking the pillows from her slave and setting them down to make something vaguely bed-like, "That'll do. Hmm, is that dress your only item of clothing?"

At Keyleth's quiet, "yes, Master," the Human went to her armoire and began to go through her clothes, "I think I have a nightgown that might fit you." She waved a hand toward a screen in the corner and said, "Get undressed." Finding one of her sister Vesper's old nightgowns, she turned around and started to speak, but snapped her mouth shut with a snap."

The Half-Elf stood beside her makeshift bed completely naked save for the bindmark and her slender silver ring. Her head was bowed and it seemed as though her blush covered her from head to toe. The blush could not cover the scars and bruises that adorned her stomach and hips, however.

Cassandra rushed over and gave Keyleth the night gown, "I'm so sorry. Put this on. Forgive me."

Keyleth took the nightgown and slipped it over her head, "I forgive you," she said. As she finished dressing, she dropped to her knees, "I am sorry, Master. I had no choice. When you give me a command, I can't do anything but obey it."

Nodding, Cassandra blushed, "I'll try to be more careful, I promise. I don't want to hurt you or embarrass you. Let's get some sleep and we can talk in the morning, alright?"

The Ashari nodded and curled up on the pile of blankets. Cassandra gently covered her and then climbed up into her own bed. She blew out the candles at her bedside and stared up at the ceiling for a long time before she finally fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may continue down a dark path, for a bit. Keyleth isn't coming from a happy place. But things are going to get better.


	3. Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra and Keyleth share a meal.

Keyleth awoke tangled up in soft blankets, her head a bit fuzzy. She sat upright and looked around, confused at first. Then she remembered. She had a new Master now, and this was her bedroom.

Her fingers lightly touched the nightgown she was wearing. She couldn't recall ever having been given clothes specifically to sleep in before. In fact, she had spent many a night with no clothes at all. Pushing that thought aside, she rose to her feet and inspected her surroundings in the light streaming in through the enormous window.

There were many beautiful things in the room, from a vase of flowers to a silver brush handle. But the Half-Elf found her eyes kept returning to the sleeping form of her new Master. Cass, one of the people at the party had called her. She seemed to remember the man who had brought her to this place had mentioned a name like that.

Not that the young woman's name was relevant to Keyleth. To a slave like her, the title of Master was all that mattered. The Ashari let out a soft sigh. Master had been kind so far, but the power of the bond...

She lifted a hand to touch the mark upon her shoulder. It felt...strange. Not bad, really. But there was a pulse to it that did not match her own. And somehow it connected her to this sleeping woman. Her Master.

Keyleth sank to her knees beside the bed and took a long look at the woman. She was young, probably less than twenty. She was also beautiful, with soft brown hair that she wore in a loose, wavy ponytail. Her features were soft, but not too round, a girl blossoming into womanhood. And her eyes were... Open."

Keyleth gasped and dropped her head, "I am sorry, Master. I forgot my place." She lowered herself to the floor, bowing and resting her forehead against the rug.

Cassandra giggled softly as she stretched and tossed the covers aside, "You're allowed to look at me, silly. Besides, it's easier for me to look at you if you do. Come on now, get up."

The Ashari straightened back to her knees at the command, despite wanting to continue to debase herself. Her cheeks burned as she blushed and she whispered, "As my Master commands."

Cassandra sighed and she shook her head slowly, "We are going to work on that. My name is Cassandra. You can call me that. Or even Cass, for short. Everyone does."

Slipping out of the bed, Cassandra glanced down at Keyleth, "Are you hungry? If you're going to fit into that nightgown you'll need to put on some weight. Though, really, we should just get you your own nightgown. A whole wardrobe. We will visit a seamstress later. That will be fun. What is your favorite color?"

The Ashari squirmed a bit on her knees, "I will wear whatever Master wishes, of course."

The noblewoman decided not to press the issue. She reached out her hand, and started to say something, then shook her head. She grinned, "Oops. That would have been a command. Will you please come to breakfast with me, Keyleth?"

The redhead nodded and rose to her feet, "As my Master commands. How far behind would you like me to walk, Master? Or am I to crawl?"

With a gasp, Cassandra turned, "Oh, Keyleth, no. Oh, my dear, I am so sorry. Neither of those. You're not a..." She paused and blushed a bit herself, "Well, okay, you are a slave, but I am not like that. I promise. Take my hand. We'll walk to..." She found herself cut off as the Ashari grabbed her hand, "Oh? Right, yes, the bond. Well, anyway, we'll walk together. Is that alright?"

The Half-Elf nodded, and the two young women made their way through the castle. The brunette led them to the kitchen, where Keyleth was introduced to the cook.

Upon seeing the skinny Ashari, the cook made a 'tsk' sound and shook her head, "We will put some meat on those bones, don't you worry. You come see me any time you're hungry and I'll fix you right up. Any friend of Cassandra's is welcome in my kitchen."

The noblewoman giggled, but Keyleth blinked in confusion. Her fingers rose to touch the ring she wore constantly, which marked her status. A quick glance revealed that the cook did not wear one. A slave could not contradict her superior, but she was not Cassandra's friend. She was her slave. Even if Cassandra was proving to be different from any Master that she'd had before.

The brunette led Keyleth into the formal dining room, where the table was laid out with nine place settings, most of which had already been used. Cassandra pointed to a chair, "That's where I sit. I'll be right back and we'll have some breakfast, alright?"

Keyleth nodded. This was a larger version than she was used to, but at least it was familiar. After her Master left the room, the Half-Elf got down and slipped under the table. If she was good and quiet, she was sure that Master would give her some scraps, or anything she couldn't finish.

Shortly, the noblewoman returned, carrying a large platter laden with bread, fruit, bacon and a large clay pitcher. She set the tray down and looked around the room, "Keyleth?"

A quiet voice could be heard from under the table, "I am here, Master."

Cassandra peeked under the table and smiled, "What are you doing under there?"

The Ashari ducked her head, "Waiting to be fed, in the manner of a proper slave. Whatever scraps you might wish to offer, or that which is unsuitable to you, Master."

The brunette bit her bottom lip, "Oh, my poor dear. We don't...no, no. Come out of there." She squeaked and got out of the way as the Half-Elf rushed to comply with the command, "Sorry. I have to learn to control my speech. You get to sit in a chair, and eat properly. Will that be alright?"

Keyleth nodded, "As my Master commands." She waited until Cassandra sat down and then nervously pulled out a chair for herself and sat on the edge of it.

Smiling softly, Cassandra set a few pieces of food on the plate in front of herself, "You're allowed to use the whole chair, Keyleth. You look as if you've never used one before." She blinked twice and looked at the redhead, "You have sat in a chair before, haven't you?"

"A slave's place is on the floor, at her Master's feet," the Half-Elf stated. But she nodded slightly, "I have sat in a chair before, though not very often."

Cassandra shook her head, "I'm sorry you had to put up with that. But here you are definitely allowed to sit in chairs. Except maybe in the throne room. I don't get to sit on those chairs." She smiled and gestured to the food, "Now eat up."

Under normal circumstances, Keyleth would have waited until her Master began to eat. But the power of her bindmark compelled her. She reached for the bread and stuffed an entire piece into her mouth. She squeaked and ducked her head, mumbling apologetically around the food.

The young noblewoman squeaked softly, "Oh! I'm sorry. I really have to learn... Um, okay. Eat at a normal pace, and stop when you've had enough to satisfy your hunger. Is that better?"

Swallowing, the redhead nodded slowly, "As my Master commands." She did reach for a piece of bacon, and Cassandra realized that she was ignoring her utensils, but let the matter pass for the time being.

The brunette watched Keyleth as they ate, and thought about how little she knew of the girl. She was getting the idea that the Ashari had lived a difficult life to this point, and she wanted to fix that, if she could.

She smiled brightly, "After breakfast we'll get dressed and go see the seamstress. You'll need at least a few dresses, and underclothes as well. I saw last night that you don't have any."

Keyleth swallowed the fruit she'd been eating and shook her head, "Any clothes that Master does not need, or that are too damaged to wear will do. There is no need to soil new clothes to cover this filthy body."

Cassandra's eyes widened, "I...see. Well, you will need a wardrobe to hold all of your brand new clothes. You are not filthy at all. You're beautiful."

The Ashari finished eating and looked down at her hands, soiled from being used as utensils. She had seen Cassandra eating with a silver knife and fork, either of which had probably cost more than what had been spent to purchase herself. Her nod was barely perceptible as she whispered, "As my Master commands."

The younger woman sighed softly, "That wasn't a command, you are beautiful. But it's alright. I just want you to know that you can do as you like here." She rubbed her hands together, "And that includes getting a new wardrobe."

Keyleth squirmed a little in her chair, but nodded. She wasn't used to such treatment, being offered things like clothes and furniture for her own use. Maybe things really would be different now. Unless Cassandra was trying to trick her, like some of her Masters in the past had done. Could that be it? Her Master could tell that she could sit in chairs or have nice things, only to take them away and remind her that she was only a slave with no such rights. No rights at all.

Cassandra watched Keyleth and shook her head slightly. She wondered what the older girl had been through, but was hesitant to ask. She didn't want to bring up bad memories for the Half-Elf. If she was honest with herself, she was afraid to find out how bad it may have been.


	4. Hearts and Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra introduces Keyleth to her sister Vesper.

After breakfast, the two young women returned to Cassandra's room. The bed had been made and the pile of blankets put away. Keyleth blinked slightly as she looked around the room once again. She wandered over to the bookshelves, and glanced up at the towering display.

The noblewoman smiled warmly, "You're welcome to read any of those that you like. There's a whole library downstairs as well. I'll show you later."

The Half-Elf blushed and dropped to her knees, "It is not my place, Master. I am sorry."

"Not your...? Keyleth, what's the matter? Did I say something wrong?" The brunette pursed her lips, "You don't know how to read. I can definitely take care of that. If you're going to keep up with this family, you'll need a good education."

The Ashari's mind raced. Reading and education were for Masters. Slaves weren't there for thinking or talking. She had learned that lesson early enough. But her new Master seemed almost eager for her to read. Unless it were a trap.

She simply nodded, "As my Master commands."

Cassandra sighed softly. She walked over and lightly stroked the soft red hair, "It's alright, Keyleth. I won't make you do anything you don't want to do." She let her fingers curl in the soft hair, "I just want you to be happy."

Keyleth's eyes shifted slightly to the arcane mark on her shoulder, just for a moment. The younger woman noticed, and she withdrew her hand.

"What does it feel like?" The noblewoman's voice was soft, "I only touched it for a moment."

The Half-Elf paused for a moment as Cassandra's fingers hovered just above the mark. She lightly licked her lips, "Mostly it doesn't feel like anything at all. Unless you..." She dropped her head lower, and stopped speaking.

The brunette's fingertip lightly traced the tree shape, and she could feel the slight pulsing there. She let out a soft sigh, "Unless I what? Tell me."

Keyleth lifted her head and begin to speak quickly, "When you give me a command it feels like the only thing I want in the world is to obey it and it makes me happy to do so. But it's also scary because I can't do anything else until I obey." Her cheeks burned and she dropped her head all the way to the floor, resting her forehead on top of her hands.

Cassandra covered her mouth with her hand and stared wide-eyed down at the Half-Elf. Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "I didn't... I had no idea. Oh, Keyleth."

The redhead kept still at her Master's feet, part of her wishing that the floor would swallow her up. Her only purpose, as she saw it, was to serve and please this one person. And now she had distressed her owner. She started to think about where she could go when she was cast out, and realized she didn't know the city she was in at all.

Suddenly the Half-Elf felt herself pulled up and a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her. She blinked and sobbed once, then buried her face in the crook of Cassandra's neck and shoulder. A voice whispered into her ear, "It's going to be alright, Keyleth. I promise."

The noblewoman sighed, "I thought the mark was just a show for my party. I didn't realize that it was so real. I'll try to be more careful. I won't give you any more commands."

Keyleth whimpered softly, "Please, Master. I..." She took a shuddering breath, "I need you to. I belong to you, Master."

Cassandra clung more tightly to the older girl. She nodded softly, "Okay. It's alright. We will figure this out." She ran her fingers lightly through Keyleth's hair, "I'm not going to hurt you."

The Ashari nuzzled further in, her nose rubbing against the other woman's throat. She could feel Cassandra's heartbeat. Closing her eyes tightly she counted the beats, feeling the timing of them. Her hand moved up to the mark, which pulsed with a rhythm of it's own. After feeling both for a moment, she realized they were identical. The mark pulsed in perfect time with her Master's heart.

The younger woman squeezed and patted Keyleth gently, "Alright. We will have to figure out how to proceed. What is it you want, Keyleth?"

The Half-Elf blinked softly, "I want to serve and please my Master. That's all I've ever wanted." She lifted her head from Cassandra's shoulder, "Have I displeased you, Master?"

Shaking her head, the brunette smiled gently, "Not at all. I don't think you could. You've been nothing less than perfect since you were given to me." She tucked a stray bit of hair behind the Ashari's ear, "Let's go get you some clothes. Maybe we'll wait on the seamstress. I'm sure my sister has some things that would fit you. She's taller than I am, but not as slender as you. Don't tell her I said that."

Cassandra closed her eyes and nodded as, predictably, Keyleth replied, "As my Master commands."

The brunette laughed softly, "You are adorable. Okay. Let's go see if my sister is up. Well, first go change into your dress. Then we can..." She sighed as Keyleth hopped up and pulled the nightgown off, then slipped on the dress which had been set out on Cassandra's bed.

"I am so sorry. I'm not intentionally trying to embarrass you, I promise," the noblewoman apologized. She walked over to her armoire and selected a dress for herself, "Well, it's only fair." She changed quickly, without ducking behind the screen. It was only after she finished that she noticed Keyleth had kept her eyes down the entire time.

"Maybe next time," she muttered. "Let's go see my sister, Keyleth. And you can walk beside me. Okay?"

"As my Master commands."

Cassandra shook her head, smiled, and took the Half-Elf's hand. The two made their way down the hall until the younger girl stopped outside a door. She raised a hand and knocked three times. After a moment, the door opened.

"Hello, Cass. Did you need something? Oh, this must be the slave I've heard so much about." A tall woman stepped out into the hall, dressed in a dark blue from head to toe. She lifted Keyleth's chin with her fingertips, "Oh, a Half-Elf. She's a bit thin, but pretty. Is it true about the bindmark?"

"Her name is Keyleth, Vesper. And yes, it's true." She smiled brightly, "I'm glad you like her. I was sort of hoping you could help us."

The older de Rolo daughter stroked the tip of one of Keyleth's ears lightly. The Ashari tried to keep her eyes downcast, but Vesper was still holding her chin, "What could I do to help you? It's not like I have any experience with slaves. Margritta, you remember her? Anyway, her father has three slaves. One is a full-blooded Elf, even."

"Ves, all we need is some clothes that you aren't wearing anymore, so that Keyleth can have more than one outfit," Cassandra said.

Her hands moved to Keyleth's shoulders and Vesper looked the girl up and down, "They'll hang on her a bit, but yes, I have a few things." She gestured into her room, "Come inside."

The younger sister squeaked and waited for the Half-Elf to bolt into the room. But when the redhead remained still, she nodded, "Right, my mark. Keyleth, it's alright. You can go into Vesper's room."

Keyleth stepped over the threshold, "As my Master commands."

Vesper gasped, "Oh my. That's amazing. I'll have to talk to father. I simply must have my own. Cass, I couldn't... borrow her, could I?"

Cassandra opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again, "No, Ves. She's a person, not...something you borrow." She followed the Half-Elf into the room.

"You used to let me play with your dolls all the time, Cass," Vesper said.

The younger sister clenched a fist, "She isn't a doll."

Vesper shrugged as she stepped into the room, "You're the one who wants to put her in different dresses."

Cassandra blushed hotly. Her sister smiled and held up her hands, "Truce. I apologize, sister dear. Keyleth is lovely and all yours. I just think she's fascinating. Hopefully you'll at least let me spend a little more time with her. With both of you."

Meanwhile, the Ashari was lightly touching the mark upon her shoulder. It was pulsing rapidly. She could tell that her Master was agitated. The redhead wondered if she dared speak up. Ordinarily she would not dream of it. But this Master seemed to suggest that things like sitting in chairs or wearing fine clothes were acceptable. Maybe this would be too.

Her voice barely above a whisper, Keyleth offered, "It is Master's right to lend her slave."

Cassandra gasped slightly and Vesper clapped, "See, she would be fine with the idea. But it's up to you, of course, dear sister."

The youngest of the three women asked softly, "Is that what you want, Keyleth? To spend some time with Vesper?"

"I wish only to please my Master," the Half-Elf replied.

The older sister positively beamed as she walked up and put an arm around the redhead, "I would never have you do anything that would displease her. And when you were returned to her it would be with an armful of pretty dresses. How does that sound?"

Keyleth did not respond. Cassandra shuddered and stalked toward the door, "Fine. Do whatever Vesper wants." She rushed to get out of the room before tears started to fall.

She did not hear Keyleth quietly reply, "As my Master commands."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I promised things would get better. And they will. So much angst. My apologies. I can't help it.


	5. Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vesper gets a little time with Keyleth.

Cassandra ran down the hall and slammed the door as she fell into her room. Tears were running freely down her cheeks. She pressed two knuckles into her eyes in an attempt to stem the tide.

She took a ragged breath that turned into a sob, "Look at yourself, crying. Vesper got to you again. What are you, a little girl who had her toy stolen by her big sister?"

She sat down on her bed and wiped at her moist cheeks. Her birthday had been yesterday. She had only known Keyleth for one day. _So why is this bothering you so much_ , she wondered.

It was the girl herself, of course. There had been something instantly compelling about the pretty, skinny Half-Elf. Obviously Cassandra had never owned a slave before. She would never have thought to request one.

On some level, the idea was repugnant. People were meant to be able to make their own decisions, even if they were servants. But, Cassandra knew that criminals were often sold into slavery, as were others who could not repay their debts. That made a certain amount of sense to the young woman.

She sighed softly and thought of the mark. Somehow it bound the two of them together in ways that neither might ever understand. Even if she hadn't intended on keeping the girl, Keyleth was hers now. Forever, it seemed.

 _The mark!_ The last thing she had done was to tell Keyleth to do... "Whatever Vesper says," Cassandra whispered.

~~~~~

Vesper slowly closed her bedroom door. She tilted her head slightly as she walked over to where Keyleth stood, "Thank you for agreeing to stay with me for a bit. I'll send you back to your Master soon."

The tall brunette lightly flipped several strands of the Half-Elf's hair, "Though I suppose I'm the Master now, aren't I?"

The Ashari squirmed just slightly. She had been trained her whole life to never contradict a superior. But in this case, she couldn't help but shake her head just slightly.

Vesper blinked once, and caught the redhead's chin in her hand, "Excuse me? I didn't think that a slave was allowed to say no. I am your Master for now. Say it."

Keyleth closed her eyes, and shook her head again, but her mouth and tongue rebelled and she whispered, "You are my Master for now." A soft whimper sounded from deep in her throat.

Letting go, the older woman walked over to her wardrobe, "That's much better. At least you can be reasonable. Now, let's see. I did promise Cass that I'd send you back with some dresses. And I may even do your makeup." 

She began to flip through her dresses, "I still wear most of these." She looked up and saw that the Half-Elf was still standing beside her bed. She pointed to the floor at her side, "Come here."

Keyleth walked over and sank to her knees at Vesper's side. She locked her eyes on the floor, and shivered softly. This was the type of treatment that she was accustomed to. But with the power of her bond to Cassandra and her Master's command to obey the older de Rolo sister, she now didn't even have the pretense of choice.

Vesper smiled, "Yes, that's much better. I do have some older dresses, and you can have them. Though i suppose they would belong to Cassandra. Well, no matter. Look up at me."

The Ashari's head popped up and her green eyes peered up at the woman as the command was spoken. She thought for a moment that a momentary look would suffice, but she now found that she could not lower her head. She let out a squeak, and squirmed.

Vesper blinked and tilted her head, "Be quiet. You're a pretty thing, but far too fidgety. Keep still. I'm thinking about how to dress you."

Keyleth found herself frozen in place, unable to move or make a sound. Being forced to comply with Vesper's commands was frightening, but deep below the fear was a faint bubble of something akin to joy because she was still obeying one of her true Master's commands.

The noblewoman opened a chest tucked in a corner of the room, "Ah, here we are. These are thinner, and some are a little worn, but I think they'll suit you." She turned and looked over to where Keyleth knelt, unmoving, now staring silently at a spot on the stone wall.

Vesper set the pile of dresses down and walked back over to Keyleth, "Are you being naughty on purpose, just very literal, or..." She gasped. "You really have to do whatever I say. Nod if that's true."

Remaining silent, Keyleth bobbed her head once.

Vesper bent down and patted the top of the girl's head, "Such a perfect little slave. Wasn't it nice of Cass to lend you to me? Smile, Keyleth, and tell me it was nice."

The Half-Elf's lips curled into a grin and she mumbled, "It was nice."

Standing up straight. the brunette hummed in thought, her fingers sliding into Keyleth's hair, "Oh, what I could do with you. Or have you do to me." She looked down into the young woman's smiling features, "Rise, embrace me, and say that you love serving your new Master."

The door to the room opened and Cassandra peered in just as Keyleth stood, slipped her arms around Vesper and murmured softly, "I love serving my new Master."

The younger sister growled, "Vesper! That's going too far. Keyleth, I'm so sorry. Stop doing whatever Vesper says."

The Half-Elf sobbed softly, her arms still around Vesper's waist, "A-as my M-master commands."

The younger de Rolo sister held out her hand, "Come with me, dear. Let's go back to my room."

As the Ashari rushed to comply, Vesper said, "Wait." She lifted the dresses and offered them to the Half-Elf, who hesitated just for a moment.

Cassandra stalked over, snatched the dresses, took Keyleth's hand, and glared up at her sister, "You and I will talk later. Keyleth, come with me." The two left the room, not stopping until they reached the youngest de Rolo's room.

Once the door was closed, Cassandra looked Keyleth up and down, "Are you alright? Did she hurt you? I am so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"

Keyleth slumped against her Master and sighed softly, "I am alright now. She did not hurt me, although I was frightened." She looked down at the floor, "There is nothing to forgive, Master. I am yours. "

"Oh, my dear. I'm glad that you are." Cassandra hugged the Half-Elf tightly. "I won't let anything like that happen again. I'm going to protect you. No matter what."

"It is alright, Master. I have been through much worse, though I have never felt quite so trapped. It was very different to have no choice but to obey her than it is with you," the Ashari said softly. It was the most that she had said on her own since coming to the castle.

The young noblewoman squeezed again, "Well, I won't make that mistake again. I promise to be careful in how I say things from now on."

Keyleth hugged Cassandra back, and rested her head against the younger woman's shoulder, "Thank you, Master. I wanted to tell her that only you are my Master, but I... The mark wouldn't let me. But it still felt like I was obeying you. And I really like doing that."

The brunette blushed softly, "You do?"

"Even if it weren't for the bindmark, you're very kind," Keyleth let out a tender little sigh, closed her eyes and sank to her knees, "I am sorry, Master. A slave should be quiet. But I thought you should know."

Cassandra giggled, "You're allowed to speak your mind, Keyleth. Whenever you like. Okay?" She gently stroked the Ashari's hair, "You're allowed to do whatever you want." She tapped her chin thoughtfully and sat down on the edge of her bed, "I'm not too good at being a Master, am I?"

The redhead blinked, and protested, "You are the best Master I have ever had the privilege of being owned by! You were meant to be my Master, the success of the slavebond proves that."

Cassandra smiled softly, "That might be true. But..." She cleared her throat slightly, "Answer the question honestly."

Keyleth let out a gasp as words began to tumble past her lips, seemingly on their own, "It is very apparent that Master has never owned a slave before and is not used to being served by one." She blushed and bowed her head, "But you could learn."

The noblewoman nodded, "You will teach me, and I'll teach you how to read, and whatever else you would like to learn. Do we have a deal?"

The Half-Elf bit her lip, "A slave does not make deals with her Master. But a slave does obey, so I will agree, Master."

Cassandra smiled, "I won't be mean to you, though. Please take that into account."

Keyleth nodded, "As my Master commands."

The brunette sighed softly, "You don't have to say that all the time, you know. I mean, it's not exactly normal conversation."

"If I might dare to be so bold, Master, that phrase reminds each of us of our proper place, just like me being down on my knees," the Half-Elf said quietly, "Please forgive me for speaking out of turn."

Cassandra laughed softly, "It's alright. I did ask you to teach me. Hmm, but what would you do if I got down on my knees?" She stood up, as though to do just that.

The Ashari dropped forward, lowering her forehead to the floor, "A slave should remain lower than those above her. Which is everyone except other slaves."

The Human shook her head, "I don't see myself as above anyone. I'm the seventh daughter of a noble house. But that shouldn't mean anything special."

Keyleth remained down on the floor, but a small whimper escaped past her lips.

Cassandra smiled, "You can get up, if you want to. As much as you want to. Did you have something you wanted to say, Keyleth?"

The Half-Elf rose back up to her usual kneeling position, "A slave should never disagree with her Master. So if you say that you are not special, I will not argue with you. But you are so special. You are my Master." She touched the mark on her shoulder gently, "My true Master."

The brunette blushed softly, "I really should write a very formal thank you letter to Taryon."

"In fact," she said, "I will. And we will start working on your reading at the same time."

Keyleth smiled and nodded, "As my Master commands."


	6. The Sun Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra and Keyleth enjoy a picnic in Whitestone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? I told you things would get better.

Cassandra pointed to the page in front of Keyleth, "You can do it. I know it's a lot of words, but if you sound them out, you'll be able to read them. If you give it a try, I'll let you give me another lesson in Mastering."

Keyleth nodded softly as she peered down at the long line of letters, and she bobbed a tiny little nod, "As my Master commands." She hunched down over the page, and touched a finger beneath the first letter.

The redhead's lips moved as she scanned along, working out letter by letter. She moved her finger along them all, then returned to the beginning. She took a deep breath and began to read aloud, "Cass-an-da-rah Jo-ha-nah Vom Nussel Kloss-ow-skee de Ro-ro?" She looked up at the brunette and bit her bottom lip, awaiting her Master's verdict.

Smiling, the young noblewoman laughed, "That's close enough. And do you know what it means?"

The Half-Elf shook her head, "No, Master. I know that Cassandra is your name," She blinked, "Is all of that your name, Master?"

The brunette nodded, "That's right. All of those words mean me."

Keyleth thought for a moment and said, "Master is much easier."

Cassandra giggled, "I can accept that. You can keep calling me that."

It had been several weeks since the Ashari had been given to the youngest de Rolo daughter as a birthday gift. The redhead had put on a bit of weight, thanks to regular meals and the fact that her owner kept sneaking an extra cake back to her room for the Half-Elf girl.

Cassandra had tried to become a better Master for the bindmarked slave. She still wasn't too comfortable giving orders, but she allowed Keyleth to clean her room and even serve her meals.

The brunette smiled, "You did very well. I promised, so I have to work on being a better Master for you. Stand up straight."

The Ashari jumped to her feet, bowing her head, "As my Master commands."

Cassandra walked around the Half-Elf, trailing a finger across the young woman's shoulder blades, lightly touching the glowing purple tree on her shoulder, "Such a good girl."

The brunette licked her lips softly, "You've done so well on your reading. I'm so proud of you." She lifted the Ashari's chin up, "I know you want to keep your eyes down, but look at me."

Keyleth's eyes immediately locked on those of her Master. She shivered softly, clearly enjoying the feeling of being commanded.

Cassandra grinned, "Good girl. Now then, about that lesson. What more does your Master need to know?"

The redhead licked her lips, "Master is doing very well. This slave can only hope that she is jserving her Master's needs."

The young noblewoman reached out and caressed the Half-Elf's cheek, "I have no complaints. You've been very good. Father says he can have a bed brought in for you. Or you can keep sleeping in a pile of blankets and pillows."

Keyleth closed her eyes and nuzzled lightly into her owner's palm, "That is entirely up to you. I sleep where and when you tell me to."

Cassandra smiled softly and slid her hands into the Half-Elf's soft hair. She found herself petting or stroking the strands more and more often. She truly enjoyed just touching the Ashari at all, and of course never received a protest when she did so.

The brunette tilted her head, "Even if I wanted you to sleep in my bed?" Her fingers slid out of the older woman's hair and she withdrew her hand slowly.

Nodding softly, the redhead offered a gentle smile, "Of course, Master. Wherever and whenever you command."

The young noblewoman blushed as she nodded, "Then that is what I would like. I just like having you close. I know you're not a pet, but it's kind of like when we were children and we had a dog. He was supposed to stay out with the other hunting dogs, but he got sick. So he stayed in the castle and would sleep with Ludwig. I was so jealous.

Her blush deepened, "I'm not trying to compare you to a dog. I'm sorry about that. I just... I like having you close."

Keyleth slowly opened her eyes, "I am whatever you want me to be, Master. Always. I like being close to you, too."

The Ashari ducked her head, "If I may boldly speak out of turn, Master?" Her own cheeks darkened with a blush, "You do want me to continue to offer advice on how to be a Master, yes?"

Cassandra tapped her chin thoughtfully and said, "A slave is to be seen and not heard, unless told otherwise. Isn't that what you told me, Keyleth?"

Swallowing, the Half-Elf nodded and bowed her head even lower. Her long hair spilled over her shoulders, partially covering the glowing purple mark.

The brunette smiled, "Good. Now, you may speak."

Keyleth settled to her knees, "A Master does not need to ask where a slave wishes to sleep, nor does she need to justify her decisions. Tell me where you want me to sleep, and that will be where I do."

Cassandra nodded, "Keyleth, from now on you sleep in my bed."

"As my Master commands," the Ashari replied.

The noblewoman smiled, "Stand up. We're going to take a walk. I still haven't shown you very much of Whitestone."

Keyleth rose quickly to her feet, a soft smile curling her lips. Cassandra took her hand and the made their way out of the castle. It was quite a distance to the town itself from the castle, and they took their time. The brunette never let go of the hand she clutched, and both girls were smiling.

As they moved past a particular curve in the path, they could see the entirety of Whitestone spread out before them. Cassandra stopped walking and pointed, "There it is. Isn't it beautiful?"

Keyleth nodded softly as she looked down at the small city. It truly seemed to fit into the valley as though it belonged there. As the Half-Elf's eyes scanned the sight below, she paused and let out a gasp as she spotted a singularly tall and magnificent tree.

Following the Ashari's gaze, Cassandra's smile brightened, "Ah, yes, that's the Sun Tree. It was put there by Pelor and the whole village was built around it. That's where I'm taking you.

The Half-Elf moved the fingers of her free hand up to touch her bindmark. The brunette nodded once more, "I see it, too. The mark does look like the silhouette of the Sun Tree."

Keyleth starred at the tree for a long moment, only moving again when Cassandra tugged and said, "Come with me!" She immediately began to keep pace with her Master, her fingers slowly dropping from the pulsing mark on her shoulder.

The young noblewoman led her companion into the town, past the guard barracks at the end of the path from the castle. She stopped to introduce the Half-Elf to the captain, a stern-looking man whose name Keyleth never heard.

She definitely heard Cassandra request that, despite her status as a slave, she be granted access to and from the castle at all times. The Ashari supposed that her Master might wish to send her into town on errands from time to time.

Soon the youngest of the de Rolo children was on her way again, with Keyleth in tow. They stopped at a small baker's cart where Cassandra purchased two pastries, "You're going to love these. They're my favorite, filled with a sweet cream."

After a few more stops, Cassandra had Keyleth carrying the pastries, a loaf of bread, a hunk of cheese, a bunch of grapes, and a large glass bottle all in a large basket that she had bought as well. At each stop, the noblewoman had greeted the merchant by name, and received a bow or curtsy in response.

She had also introduced Keyleth by name, never once using the word slave. The silver ring around the Half-Elf's throat did make that somewhat unnecessary. Only once, when asked directly, did Cassandra reveal that the Ashari had been a birthday gift.

Soon the pair reached a spot in the sun-dappled grass beneath the leaves of the Sun Tree. "Put the basket down there and sit," Cassandra said. The Half-Elf immediately moved to obey, a warmth and happiness filling her mind, fueled by the bindmark.

The brunette sat down as well, leaning back against Keyleth's side, "Feed me," she said with a smile. This was not something they had tried before, and Keyleth smiled, both from the influence of the mark, and to see her Master behaving more like how a Master should.<\p>

The Half-Elf peeled a grape and reached around to present it to Cassandra's lips. As the noblewoman ate, Keyleth considered how much her life had changed over the past few weeks.

She never imagined living in a castle with a Master who actually seemed to care about her well-being before. Except for her time with Vesper, she had not been truly afraid since being presented to her new Master.

The Ashari continued to offer small bits of food to Cassandra, who chewed happily as she rested against the Half-Elf. The brunette smiled as she thought about how much she genuinely liked the girl. Keyleth was so kind and sweet, and of course there was the small fact that she was completely devoted to Cassandra.

When the Human felt she'd had enough, she amiled and turned her head, "Thank you, Keyleth. You may finish the rest." She leaned forward and stretched, then got up and sat down behind the Half-Elf, and began to braid a section of the girl's hair.

"But surely Master wants one of her favorite pastries..." Keyleth began to protest. Cassandra gently cleared her throat and said softly, "Finish. The. Rest." The Half-Elf began to eat, a soft moan of pleasure slipping past her lips at the forcefulness of the command. That was a new feeling. Perhaps the more intense a command was given, the more pleasure she would take in fulfilling it.

As the Ashari ate, Cassandra made a long braid in the older girl's hair. She tied it near the bottom with a bit of green ribbon that was as close as she could find to the color of her eyes. She opened the wine and took a long drink from the bottle. as she had not thought to purchase glasses or mugs.

Seeing that the Half-Elf was hesitating as she had at last reached the second pastry, Cassandra laughed softly and licked her lips, "Keyleth, stuff that pastry into your mouth in one big bite."

"Mmph mf Maphtuf kammaff," came the reply from around the pastry. Cassandra giggled and tapped the tip of Keyleth's nose playfully, "Well done."

Without waiting for the girl to finish chewing, the brunette rose to her feet and brushed off her dress, "I definitely enjoyed getting to show my city off to you, and showing you off to my city. Grab the basket. It's time to go home.

The redhead picked up the basket, and followed her back through the town toward the castle path. She swallowed the last of the pastry and whispered, "As my Master commands."

The sun was just sinking below the horizon as the two stepped inside. As the door closed, Cassandra's mother Johanna rushed over, "There you are. Both of you. Go make yourselves presentable. We have company, and your presence had been specifically requested, Cassandra."

Cassandra looked to Keyleth for a moment, "Go get a bath ready, I'll be up in a moment." Then, to her mother, she asked. "Who has come to visit?"

Johanna smiled warmly, "We haven't formally met, though your father has been in correspondence with her husband. It's Lady Briarwood."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, definitely better. Nothing to worry about. Surprises in store next chapter. Delilah is not alone.


	7. Unexpected Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lady Briarwood's visit takes an unusual turn.

Cassandra stepped out of the tub, still lost in thought as Keyleth began to dry her body with a cloth. Briarwood. She had heard the name mentioned in some of her father's discussions with his advisors. They were from Wildmount, she thought.

As she got dressed in diplomatic attire of white and blue, she wondered what Delilah Briarwood might want with her specifically. She offered the Half-Elf a smile as she stepped into her shoes. There was ultimately only one way to find out.

She made her way to the formal sitting room with the Ashari in tow. Upon entering the chamber she was surprised by the number of people in the room. Her mother and father were there, as was a woman dressed in a deep red traveling outfit. This could only be Lady Briarwood. She was accompanied by a pair of dark-haired Half-Elves, each wearing a black leather collar around their throats.

They appeared to be twins, and each had a bindmark upon their foreheads. The male's was active, glowing a dull red in the shape of a dagger. His sister's mark still swirled and moved across her skin. She was attached to Lady Briarwood's hand by a short leash.

Despite the strange appearance of this group, Cassandra was still most surprised to find that Vesper was here as well, sitting beside their parents. Her older sister clearly had had more time to get ready for the guest, as she was dressed in her finest gown, and had her hair up in the latest elaborate style.

The young woman curtsied as she entered the room. She sat down beside Vesper and, taking a cue from the position of Lady Briarwood's slaves, had Keyleth kneel at her feet.

After introductions were made, Lady Briarwood rose to her feet, "If I might have a moment alone with your daughters? My business is with them, and I assure you is no threat to Whitestone."

Frederick and Johanna left the room, which was cloaked in an awkward silence for a moment. Finally, Lady Briarwood spoke, "I met your sister Whitney this morning, and she attempted what I'm about to ask of you without success."

Vesper nodded, "It has something to do with bindmarks, doesn't it? Whitney said you could make them, Lady Briarwood."

"Please, call me Delilah, we are all friends here," the visitor said with a bright smile. The leashed Half-Elf made a slight sound, almost like a scoff. Her owner tugged hard on the leash, "Quiet. We'll get to you."

She returned her attention to the older sister, "Whitney is a clever young lady and quite correct. I am able to create bindmarks, as indeed I did on these twins. They were criminals, sold into slavery to pay off their debt to society. I was hoping that their shared blood would allow one to connect more easily to both through the mark, but that did not occur."

Cassandra spoke up, "What exactly is it that you'd like us to do, Lady Br- Delilah?"

The visitor smiled, her fingers lightly stroking the top of the female Half-Elf's head, "Only that which you have already accomplished, that which your sister would love to share with you. I want each of you to touch this slave's mark and see if you can form a bond. My research shows that family connections are a strong indicator of a bond's success. There is still so much to learn."

The older daughter leapt to her feet, "I'll go first. Cass already has a slave and I'm older anyway." She walked over to the kneeling Half-Elf and pressed her fingers against the swirling mark on her forehead.

Nothing happened, so Vesper pressed harder, shoving the girl's head back with her efforts. "Ow, knock it off," she said with a sneer, which earned a sharp tug on the leash from Delilah.

"Quiet. Don't make me have to tell you again. Your brother doesn't like being made to keep you quiet," the visitor said. She looked to Vesper, "I'm sorry, my dear. It didn't work for Whitney either, if that's any consolation."

The older girl huffed and sat back down, crossing her arms, "Fine. It's fine."

Delilah beckoned to Cassandra, "And now it is your turn, my dear. If you please?" She gestured to the slave who knelt before her.

The youngest de Rolo child sighed slightly, "If you insist, but Keyleth is already bound to me." She stroked the Ashari's shoulder gently, touching the mark there.

Lady Briarwood nodded slowly, "Indeed. There are a few out there who have more than one slave bonded to them. As rare as it is even for one. Still, no harm in trying, is there?"

At Keyleth's nervous look, Cassandra lightly stroked the girl's hair, "It's alright, nothing is going to happen." She took a breath and walked up to the kneeling Half-Elf, "I'm sorry. I'll be gentle and make this quick." She lifted her right index finger and lightly touched the mark in the girl's forehead.

The Half-Elf gasped softly. The mark upon her forehead shifted and took the shape of a tree, nearly identical to the one on Keyleth's shoulder, save for a faint red glow. The slave blinked twice and looked up at Cassandra, "Mistress..."

The young noblewoman gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, "I didn't expect that. How could it...?"

Delilah dropped the leash, "I was hoping not to break up the set, but this one is yours now, my dear. They won't enjoy being apart, but it's much worse to be separated from the owner they're bound to. Believe me, I've experimented with that extensively."

Vesper stood up and threw her hands in the air, "Of course. The little princess sees two of those marks and both of them work for her. She's only ever even seen three slaves now..."

Delilah turned to the older de Rolo daughter, "Is that right? Two marks and two successful bonds? That is quite interesting. I wonder... Vesper, is it, would you be willing to help with another little experiment?" She reached into a pouch that the male Half-Elf was wearing, pulling out a few items.

The young woman nodded, "Certainly, father said we were to give you every consideration. I'd be happy to help."

Delilah nodded softly, "Good. Take a seat. This won't hurt a bit." She began to chant quietly, her fingers manipulating the objects she had withdrawn from the pouch.

Meanwhile, Cassandra had removed the leash and collar from the female Half-Elf. She looked up as Delilah worked her spell, seeing the visitor at last reach out and grab Vesper's arm. Inky reddish-black energy coursed from the spellcaster's fingers and flowed onto the other woman's arm. It began to swirl and flow, becoming an unbound bindmark.

Vesper gasped, "No, no, what have you done? I am not a slave. You can't do this to me!"

Delilah looked to Cassandra, "I am very curious to see what will happen. Please, my dear, carry out the experiment, won't you?"

The young noblewoman shook her head, "I think we've done enough for today. Remove the mark, please."

Lady Briarwood smiled, "I would be happy to. But only if you indulge me and touch it. It's most likely that nothing will happen, at any rate. But I will not remove it until you touch it."

"Sister, please," Vesper whispered, "I can't be seen with this."

Cassandra sighed, "Fine. I'll do it. Then remove the mark and we'll figure out what to do about the girl."

She walked up and touched her sister's arm. Vesper's eyes widened as the brand new mark collapsed into a softly-glowing red black tree, the same as on the others.

"Now remove it. My sister is not a slave," Cassandra frowned as she looked at Delilah.

"That is utterly fascinating. Maybe it has something to do with being the seventh child of a seventh child," Lady Briarwood said. "Regardless, I'll need supplies and my main spellbook to remove the mark. It will be some time before I can retrieve them."

Vesper fumed, "That's not fair! You said you could remove it. I demand that you-"

Cassandra squeezed the bridge of her nose, "Vesper, be quiet. Sit." Her older sister closed her mouth with a snap and dropped to the floor. A smile curled her lips for a moment.

Delilah smiled, "You're a natural, my dear. I'll be back as soon as I can. Until then, enjoy your slavegirls, new and old. And think about what that tree means to you. Until today, I had thought that the bindmarks came from the slaves, like my thief's dagger. But yours all seem to come from you. I wonder why."

Cassandra blinked, "I can't keep them. This one is yours and Vesper is not a slave."

"My gift to you. And you must treat them as slaves. If they don't receive commands... You know that obeying makes them happy, yes? Well, if they go for too long with no commands, apparently it can become quite excruciating," Delilah said with a careless shrug. She tapped the male Half-Elf on the head, "Up. Follow."

Moments later, Cassandra was left in the sitting room with two Half-Elf slaves and her sister, all of whom apparently needed her to give them orders. She let out a sigh, "Keyleth, help me get them to my room. We have to figure out what to do."

The Ashari nodded, "As my Master commands."

Cassandra looked at the other two, her gaze lingering on Vesper, "Do whatever Keyleth says."

She looked at the tree on her sister's arm and shook her head, "Mother and Father are going to kill me. Or worse."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even I wasn't expecting things to go this way.


	8. Faith and Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra deals with the aftermath of Delilah's visit.

Cassandra paced across the length and breadth of her room. Vesper sat quietly on the bed, looking at the mark on her arm. Keyleth and the other Half-Elf knelt on the floor. With a sigh, The young noblewoman stopped and looked at the black-haired Half-Elf, "I'm sorry, I still don't know your name, dear. This has all been so quick."

The young woman looked up and smiled wickedly, "I am yours now. You can call me anything you like, Mistress. My last Mistress just called me slavegirl, so that's what I've gotten used to."

The young noblewoman sighed again, "Tell me your name."

The Half-Elf straightened and met Cassandra's eyes, "Vex'ahlia, Mistress."

"Vex'ahlia. Thank you. I'm going to try and find a way to reunite you with your brother." She began to pace again, "I never expected to have one slave in my lifetime, let alone three bonded ones."

Vesper lightly cleared her throat. Cassandra nodded, "Yes, yes. I know that you're not a slave, but I still have to give you commands if I don't want you to suffer. And I don't, so don't worry." She took a deep breath, "What am I going to do with the three of you?"

She sat down on the bed and nodded to herself, "Lady Briarwood will return soon. She will remove your mark, Vesper. That will make things easier."

The dark-haired Half-Elf shifted a bit, "Do you think she could remove the mark from my brother, as well? Then you could buy him, or, I don't know, have my mark removed and let us both go free." She looked up at her owner, and with a saucy wink, said, "Not that I want to leave your service, Mistress. It's just that my brother is all I have. And he's been in that... woman's clutches for months. She makes him do things. He was the one who would punish me, for any reason she could think of."

Cassandra nodded slowly, "I understand. I'd hate to lose any of my siblings, especially to see them subjected to cruelty like that." She leaned into her sister and hugged her warmly. Then she stood, and crooked a finger, "Keyleth, come here."

The Ashari moved over to the young noblewoman and settled back onto her knees, "As my Master commands."

The younger de Rolo smiled softly and stroked the girl's hair gently, "Tell me honestly, what do you want? Would you like to have your mark removed?"

Keyleth lifted her head, "All I wish is to serve my Master. I am yours now and always. Unless Master wishes to send me away?"

Cassandra dropped down next to Keyleth, who started to lower herself to the floor. The noblewoman grabbed her and pulled the redhead into a tight embrace, "I am not sending you away. I'm just getting used to having you in my life. I want you right here with me, okay? I just wanted to know what you thought." She kissed the Ashari lightly on the cheek, "Besides, I need you to help me with the others. I'm still not sure what to do with three slaves."

Vesper cleared her throats once more.

Cassandra let out a sigh, "Yes, dear sister, I know."

~~~~~

Weeks passed, with no sign of Lady Briarwood's return. Cassandra had settled into a routine, with Keyleth and Vex'ahlia alternating chores, both even helping the staff around the castle. Vesper, however, was becoming something of a problem.

One afternoon, while both of the Half-Elves were working elsewhere, the oldest daughter barged into her youngest sister's room. She had taken to wearing long sleeves at all times, to cover the mark on her arm, and now was no exception.

"Cass, tell me to sit down or something. I'm starting to get that headache again," she demanded.

The young brunette closed the book she had been reading and shifted in her seat, "Vesper, my dear sister, I have been trying to give you a simple command once or twice a day so this would not happen. Can you please try to make this a bit easier? I still have Keyleth and Vex'ahlia to take care of."

"Fine, whatever you need, just tell me to do something. It's been too long," Vesper whispered. "Anything."

"Go find Keyleth and send her to me," Cassandra said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Lips curling into a dreamy smile, the older sibling nodded and left the room without another word.

Some time later, Keyleth arrived, and knelt beside the desk, "Your sister said you wanted me, Master. How may I serve you?"

"She is driving me out of my mind. Demanding commands when she feels like she needs them. And it just doesn't feel like Lady Briarwood is ever coming back," the brunette sighed as she set her book down again.

Cassandra frowned and rose to her feet, "I need to figure out how to handle her. I can't keep this up. How do I even know that the mark really can be removed? Stand up."

The Ashari rose, and the noblewoman wrapped her in a tight embrace, burying her face in the taller girl's shoulder, "You're so good to me. I'm glad I still have you, at least." Tears rolled down onto the redhead's shoulder.

The Half-Elf slowly folded her arms around the Human, and she whispered, "I am yours, Master. Everything I do is for you. I am sorry that Vesper is not the same way. Perhaps..."

Cassandra lifted her head, "Perhaps what?" She moved her hands to Keyleth's shoulders, "Stay on your feet and tell me."

Nodding, the Ashari said, "I know that I am yours, and that makes me happy. I am a slave, but Lady Vesper does not think of herself that way. Her resistance may be making it more difficult for her."

The brunette stroked Keyleth's cheek gently, "I want you to be happy. I lo-like you very much." She blushed softly, "But how can we make things easier for Vesper? I don't want her to suffer."

The Half-Elf nuzzled into her owner's palm, "I cannot tell you what to do, but you could order her to submit to you. I know that just knowing that I am yours, that happiness is amplified by the mark. I can feel your heartbeat in it." She blushed as well, and ducked her head.

Cassandra puffed out a breath, "I don't think she would agree to that."

Keyleth whispered, "If you tell her to, she will have no choice. And even that will make her happy."

The noblewoman nodded, "I'll think about it. Thank you." She hugged the Half-Elf tightly again, "I also think we need to take a trip, find a wizard other than Lady Briarwood who knows something about these marks. To see if they even can be removed."

She kissed Keyleth lightly on the cheek, "Thank you for your help. Please go get Vex'ahlia and Vesper and bring them to me."

The Ashari smiled brightly, "As my Master commands."

~~~~~

The four women were gathered in Cassandra's room again. Once more, Cassandra was pacing, "We have a lot to learn about the marks, and I don't trust Delilah." She looked at each of the women in turn.

"Keyleth, I just want to know as much as I can so that you and I can be happy," she said with a smile. "Vex'ahlia, I want to reunite you with your brother, however I can. You deserve that. Even if it means keeping you both."

The two Half-Elves nodded as the noblewoman turned to face her sister, "Vesper, I need your help. With the mark on you, I have to control you. Even if you don't want it. "

Cassandra stood in the middle of the room, "So we are all going to Emon to find a wizard to talk to. Father has gotten us passage on an airship, which leaves in the morning."

Vesper blinked, "What? Why do I have to go?"

Taking one more deep breath, the young brunette pointed to the floor, "Get down on your knees, Vesper. Look up at me." The older girl complied immediately, letting out a quiet gasp.

The younger sister met her older sibling's eyes, her nostrils flared, "Submit to me, Vesper. Be a good, obedient girl. Be my slave. Call me Mistress, like Vex'ahlia does."

The taller brunette nodded once, an almost imperceptible jerk of her head, "Yes, Mistress. I am yours." A low moan escaped her lips and her eyelids fluttered.

Cassandra nodded once, "Learn from Keyleth. She will teach you how to be a proper slave. When we get the mark removed you might hate me, and I will face those consequences. Bit for now, I need you to behave."

Vesper nodded more eagerly now, "Yes, Mistress. I will be good."

The young noblewoman turned to the Ashari, "Teach her how to be a slave. Use her room. Vesper, go with her." The two quickly left the room, with a quiet, "As my Master commands," from Keyleth.

When the two taller women had left the room, Cassandra looked to the still-kneeling Vex'ahlia, "What about you? Tell me what you really want."

The Half-Elf said, with a sob, "I want my brother to be alive. I'll be your slave forever if I can only have him back. He's all I have, Mistress. And that bitch Delilah didn't even let us say goodbye before taking him away."

The Human knelt down and hugged the black-haired girl tightly, "I'm so sorry. We'll find a way to get him back." She cupped the former thief's chin in her palm and looked into her eyes, "I promise you, on my honor."

Vex'ahlia closed her eyes, "It feels good to be yours. I guess that's the mark talking, but it's true. I love it." She sighed softly, "I hate it that he must feel the same way obeying her. But I know he does. It would be selfish and wrong to take that pleasure away from him."

Cassandra pulled the girl closer and kissed the top of her head. She squeezed and then pulled back, "Hey, look at me."

Vex'ahlia's eyes snapped open and found those of her Mistress. The Human smiled, "Relax. Take a deep breath." The Half-Elf did as she was told, and smiled gently.

"We'll get him back. I don't know how yet, but don't worry," the young noblewoman insisted. She scratched lightly at the nape of the other woman's neck, "I can't make up for what she did to you, but at the very least I can be kind."

Vex'ahlia slowly closed her eyes again, "Thank you, Mistress. You are kind. Like I said, if I have to be a slave, I'm glad I can be yours."

Cassandra gently touched her lips to the softly-glowing mark on the Half-Elf's forehead, "Me too." She let out a quiet sigh as she held onto the other woman, "I wonder how Keyleth is handling my sister."


	9. Truth and Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra finds a wizard willing to tell her more than she wanted to know about bindmarks.

Two rooms at one of the finer inns in Emon weren't exactly cheap, but it wasn't a hardship for Cassandra, especially with Vesper offering to pay for one of them. The older sister and Vex'ahlia took one room, while the younger shares with Keyleth. The four now sat together at the small table in Cassandra's room.

"The innkeeper mentioned that there was a prominent wizard on the city's council who may be able to help us. We can go speak with her in the morning," the young noblewoman said. "Until then, is there anything we need to do?"

The three bindmarked women shook their heads. Cassandra smiled, "Very well. In that case, Vex'ahlia, you'll share Vesper's room."

Vesper blinked and lifted her head, "But, Mistress, there is only one bed."

The younger sister gestured to the two brunettes, "It's fine. You two go sleep together." Both women rose and said, "Yes, Mistress." They left the room together.

Cassandra smiled at Keyleth, "There, was that really so difficult? You're going to share this bed with me. It's perfectly inno- Oh dear. I didn't tell them to share the bed. I told them to sleep together."

The Human looked down at the kneeling Half-Elf, "Maybe they'll be very literal and just sleep. Right? Yes, of course."

"Keyleth? If I told you to sleep with me, you'd just think actual sleep, wouldn't you? Not sex, right?" Cassandra fidgeted with her fingers.

The Ashari lifted her head just a bit, "I am your slave, Master. If you simply told me to sleep with you with no other context, I would assume you wanted sex. Especially as it is still early afternoon."

Cassandra pinched the bridge of her nose, "I am a terrible Master." She patted the beside her, "Come sit here."

The Half-Elf moved up and settled onto the bed. The Human pulled her into a tight embrace, "I'm trying so hard. I just want the three of you to be safe and happy."

Hesitating for a moment, Keyleth slipped her arms around the younger woman and she squeezed her, just for a moment, "You are a wonderful Master. You're wonderful, period." She blushed profusely and ducked her head.

Cassandra smiled gently, "First of all, you may always express your opinion, even if it isn't flattering. Secondly, thank you. And third, I think you're wonderful too." She lifted the Half-Elf's chin and looked into her face, "In fact, I think I..."

Her train of thought was cut off by a loud thump from the room next door. Then another. Then over and over, rhythmically. "Oh, no! Should we stop them? I don't want to see my sister like that... Oh, I am a terrible Master."

~~~~~

The next morning arrived, and Cassandra woke to a soft knock upon her door. She slipped out of the bed, trying to keep from waking Keyleth. She opened the door to find Vesper there, blushing and wringing her hands.

The younger sister stepped out into the hall and quietly shut the door, "What's the matter? Tell me."

The taller woman spoke quickly, "Vex'ahlia and I had sex last night. All night. And it was amazing, because we were obeying you. But it was also just amazing because it was. I didn't know I would like that with... Also I think she and I need collars so that people know we are your slaves, Mistress." She blushed and dropped her eyes to the floor.

Cassandra blinked, trying to process the torrent of information. She put a hand lightly on her sister's arm, "I'm so sorry. I did not mean to command you to have sex with Vex'ahlia. I guess it's good that you enjoyed it, but it's still not something I have the right to do."

"And are you telling me that you think of yourself as my slave now? You're still my sister. Always." She squeezed Vesper's arm, "Do you really want a collar?"

Vesper nodded slowly, "Yes. I am yours now. I'm so sorry for how I treated Keyleth. But when you told me to behave, to act like a slave... I realized that's exactly what I am. And it could be trouble for you if you walk around a large city with uncollared slaves. I'll need to sign something, to sell myself to you. It should be official."

Cassandra swallowed audibly. She collected her racing thoughts, and then met her sister's gaze, "Vesper, tell me what you really want."

Dropping to her knees, the older sister whispered, "I want you to keep me, Mistress. The mark binding me to you shows that I should always have been yours, just like Keyleth and Vex'ahlia. Please let the world know that you've claimed me, Mistress."

Cassandra nodded. She lightly stroked the top of her sister's head, fingers sliding through the long dark hair, "Alright. For now. You may feel differently when the mark is removed. I love you, Vesper."

The older sister let out a content sigh, "I love you too, Mistress."

~~~~~

At breakfast, Cassandra had pulled Vex'ahlia aside and apologized for the previous night's mistaken command. The Half-Elf had dismissed the thought, claiming to have enjoyed the evening. She had stated that it was certainly better than when Lady Briarwood had commanded her to have sex. Cassandra had not asked for details.

Now the little group stood at the base of a tall, slender tower. Two of the women wore new silver rings about their necks, indicating their status as property. Keyleth touched the one that she wore lightly. Cassandra reached a hand up and pulled firmly on the bell rope beside the door.

Shortly, the door opened and a blonde Halfling opened the door, "Yes? Did you have an appointment?"

Cassandra curtsied and shook her head, "I am afraid I did not. I am Lady Cassandra Johanna Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo, and I was hoping to meet with Allura Vysoren. Are you she?"

The Halfling shook her head, "Me? No, but she's my wife and..." She paused as she noticed Cassandra's companions, "She doesn't deal in slaves anymore. So you'll have to find someone else. Gilmore, maybe."

The young noblewoman spoke quickly as the Halfling had already begun to close the door, "I wanted to have slave marks removed. May I please speak with your wife?"

The small blonde thought for a moment, "Wait here. I'll see what she has to say." Cassandra nodded her thanks with a warm smile.

As the Halfling vanished behind the door, the young brunette smiled reassuringly to the others, "Don't worry. We'll have those marks off soon and get things back to normal."

The three bindmarked women nodded in agreement, but shared a meaningful look with one another.

Several minutes later the door opened again. A tall blonde Human, her hair worn in elaborate twisting curls that hung down over the top of her deep blue dress gestured the group inside, "I am Allura. Please come in. Lady Cassandra, it is good to meet you."

She led the company up a spiral staircase to a well-appointed sitting room, "Can I offer anyone tea? Please, make yourselves comfortable."

Cassandra sat on the wide cushioned bench near the low table upon which the ornate tea set rested. The three slaves each knelt nearby, and the young noblewoman found herself blushing.

She gestured to the women, "These are Keyleth, Vex'ahlia, and Vesper. Tea would be lovely, thank you."

A small, barely-visible hand composed of glowing blue energy poured five cups, then moved one in front of each of the women. Allura picked up her own cup and took a small sip. She looked over each of the women, almost appraisingly.

"Your slaves are lovely, lady Cassandra. Why, Vesper here could pass for your sister," the Arcanist said as she set her cup back upon it's saucer. "Why would you wish to remove the marks from them?"

The brunette's blush intensified, "Vesper is my sister. That's part of the problem. And I never expected to wind up with three slaves at all, let alone three bound ones. Every mark I've touched has successfully bound."

"Every one? Setting aside the fact that you've turned your own sister into a slave, that should not be possible. One, perhaps two in a lifetime. How far apart were these three bound?" Allura leaned forward, her curiosity apparent on her face.

"Less than a month. Vex'ahlia and Vesper on the same day, as a matter of fact. Less than an hour apart," Cassandra said. She went on to relate the story of Lady Briarwood's visit.

The Arcanist nodded slowly as she sat back, "I see. I am sorry that any of you have had dealings with Delilah Briarwood. She does nothing unless it is to her own benefit." She closed her blue eyes and let out a small sigh, "I am also sorry to tell you that a mark, once bound, cannot be removed."

Cassandra gasped, "What? But that's..." Her thought was interrupted as all three of the kneeling women let out loud sighs of relief. The young noblewoman blinked in surprise, "What? But I thought you wanted the marks removed."

Vex'ahlia spoke first, "Only from my brother, Mistress. We are all quite happy to be in your service. Maybe that is the mark's fault, but it feels very real to us."

Allura nodded, "Indeed. That is why the marks were first created. To make slavery potentially acceptable to the enslaved. When the Dragons all but completely destroyed the Ashari, it was their demand that the elders amongst them become their slaves. The children were to be sold into slavery to whomever would take them."

The Arcanist continued, "So those of us skilled in enchanting worked together on the spells that place the mark. Only certain people can form a bond or two, and it seemed to us that if it worked, the bonded slave would be well cared for."

She pointed to Cassandra, "You, my dear, would seem to be able to bond with any mark you encounter. That, I imagine, is why Delilah is so interested in you. She helped develop the marks. She can place them, have you bond with them, and control virtually anyone she wished, through you."

The youngest de Rolo leaned back in her seat, "But she doesn't control me."

"There are spells, much less friendly than the bindmarks, which would allow her to. Quite easily," the blonde said.

Pursing her lips in thought, Cassandra asked, "You said there is now way to remove a bound mark. Can one become unbound?"

Allura nodded slowly, "Yes. It would have been too cruel to allow the need for control if the Master were to die."

The brunette looked back to Vex'ahlia, "The only way to free your brother is if Lady Briarwood dies."

The black-haired Half-Elf set her chin and smiled a feral grin, "That is fine with me, Mistress."

Cassandra finished her tea, "Thank you for your time and the tea. I truly appreciate your assistance."

Allura bowed her head, "I am only sorry I could not be more helpful. I stopped placing the marks a few years ago. I couldn't stand the fact that they make the person bound have such a strong need to be commanded. That seemed so cruel. But your slaves clearly love you."

As she stood, the young noblewoman blushed, "I am very lucky. Ladies, if you've finished your tea, we should be on our way."

~~~~~

Back in Cassandra's room at the inn, the four women discussed the situation that they found themselves in. Vex'ahlia had already suggested confronting Delilah directly. Vesper wanted to go back to Whitestone and see if the woman would return. Keyleth kept quiet, kneeling at her owner's feet.

Cassandra herself looked directly at the black-haired Half-Elf, "I am not going to allow any of us to commit murder. I want your brother free almost as much as you do. But a de Rolo does not kill for revenge."

Vex'ahlia was quick to reply, "I am not a de Rolo, Mistress."

The noblewoman stood up, hands clenched into fists, "Yes you are. We all are. Vesper and I were born to it, but you and Keyleth became part of my family the moment you were given to me. Don't you understand?"

The Half-Elf bowed her head and Cassandra frowned, "We will find a way, I promise. Maybe we can make her give him up. Somehow."

They spent the rest of the day thinking over what they had learned. They took a leisurely lunch in a tavern with a view of most of the city, which let them forget about their concerns for a while.

That night, they returned to the inn. Vesper tugged lightly on Cassandra's sleeve, "Mistress, Vex'ahlia and I want to...spend the evening together again." The former thief nodded in agreement, trying not to smile.

The noblewoman blinked, but nodded, "If you want to, that's fine. You don't need my permission."

Vesper blushed crimson, "Thank you, Mistress, but we want... We want you to tell us to again." She ducked her head, "Please?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes, "Of all the... Oh, very well. You two, look at me." Both of the women's eyes locked on their Mistress. "Go make mad passionate love to each other."

Still blushing, the two hurried off, each calling out, "Yes, Mistress," as they went.

Cassandra turned to Keyleth, and spread her arms, "Come here." When the Ashari reached her, the brunette hugged her tightly and caught the Half-Elf's lips with her own.

The redhead returned both the embrace and the kiss without the necessity of a command. They held each other there for a long moment. Finally, Cassandra pulled back and placed a soft kiss on Keyleth's cheek. "Please don't hate me," she said.

The Half-Elf blinked and asked, "Why would I hate you, Master?"

"Because I'm going to kill Delilah Briarwood."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things happened in this chapter. Hopefully it was entertaining. There's still a long way to go. Thanks for coming along for the ride!


	10. Machinations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra returns home to find a surprise guest waiting for her.

The journey back to Whitestone was uneventful, consisting mainly of a leisurely voyage by airship. The four women had to share a single cabin with two beds, so Cassandra made a point of avoiding giving her sister or Vex'ahlia orders to sleep together. She wasn't against the concept, but had no desire to witness the activity.

After four days in the air and as many stops along the way, they were finally home. The young noblewoman led her charges along the path up to the castle. She smiled gently as they approached the front doors at last, "It will be nice to sleep in my own bed. We can start planning our next move in the morning."

It was only after they had walked through the foyer and made their way to the kitchen that Cassandra realized there had been no guards at the base of the path. In fact there was no sign of any guards or servants in the castle at all. Looking around the rooms on the first floor, the group eventually found a few people in the conservatory.

As the noblewoman spotted the figures sitting near the harpsichord on the far side of the room she motioned to the others, "Wait here. It feels like something is wrong."

The three marked women stopped where they were, and Cassandra made her way into the music room. She recognized the figures quickly, seeing her mother and sister facing away from her. Across from them, Vex'ahlia's brother knelt in front of a wickedly-smiling Lady Briarwood.

As the young brunette approached, Delilah licked her lips. Cassandra's mother Johanna and sister Whitney turned around. It would have been impossible not to notice the shifting, squirming ink-like appearance of inactive bindmarks upon their foreheads.

Cassandra froze in her tracks, her fists clenching as she looked to the seated wizard. She tried to keep her voice calm, "Remove those marks at once. And tell me what you've done with the guards, as well as my father and brothers."

Delilah settled deeper into the wing-backed chair she occupied, and her fingers slid through Vax'ildan's black hair, "Everyone is just fine, I assure you. You can even see them, if you wish."

"Of course I wish to see them. Right now, if you please. If you hurt anyone, I swear I'll make you regret it," the young noblewoman said.

Lady Briarwood clucked her tongue, "So polite and then so callous in just a moment. It doesn't suit you, my dear. And I shall allow you to see them, but first you must do something for me." She gestured to the bench opposite her, "Bond them to you."

Cassandra crosses her arms, taking half a step back, "And if I refuse?"

The other woman removed her fingers from the Half-Elf's hair, "Then we have a problem. And neither of us want there to be a problem. You see, when there's a problem, my slave here has to fix it."

She let out a soft sigh and steepled her fingers together, "Bond with them or select which one you want to die."

The younger woman sighed and nodded, "I'll do it. But I need to know that my father and brothers are alive."

Delilah spread her hands, "You'll have to trust me for now, my dear. I could simply make you do as I say, but it will be so much better for us all if you go along willingly, yes? That way no one needs to get hurt."

Cassandra's mind raced. She didn't understand much about wizards or magic, but maybe using too much made then tired. How many spells had Lady Briarwood needed to use to deal with the guards and her family? She stepped closer to her mother and sister, and she could see the tracks of tears on both of their faces. They weren't sitting still and keeping quiet by choice.

Vesper, Vex'ahlia, and Keyleth were just around the corner. Maybe with the four of them, they could take out the wizard before she could order Vax'ildan to kill anyone. Cassandra took a deep breath and looked down at her sister, "I'm sorry, Whitney."

Eyes widening just for a moment, Cassandra remembered the project that the middle de Rolo sister had been tinkering with for some time. A discarded project of Percival's if her memory was correct. More of a loud distraction than an actual weapon, but it might help.

She lightly stroked her sister's darker brown hair, fingers staying away from the mark for the moment and she asked, "Have you been keeping up with your tinkering? Maybe if we're all very well-behaved Lady Briarwood will allow us to indulge in our hobbies while she's our guest."

Whitney nodded, almost imperceptibly, a look of confusion spreading over her features. Delilah leaned forward, "Do get on with it, child. Your mother may well regret your hesitation."

Cassandra closed her eyes as her thumb light brushed across her sibling's skin. She couldn't bear to see the mark coalesce or the change in her sister's eyes.

Lady Briarwood's voice sounded quite pleased to the young noblewoman's ears when she heard it next, "Very good. And now your mother. Then you can see your father and your brothers. Won't that be nice?"

Cassandra stifled a sob as she shifted slightly to the side. She opened her eyes to find Whitney just staring at her, and her mother sitting still, hands folded in her lap.

The young brunette looked back at the wizard, "She's my mother. You can't ask me to do this."

Delilah nodded, "You're quite correct dear, my apologies. I am not asking. Bind her now, or watch her die. Slave, draw your dagger."

The Half-Elf deliberately took a long, curved knife from a black sheath at his side. He simply held it, awaiting a further command from his Master. Cassandra shook her head, "No, don't. I'll do it."

She could not stop herself from weeping as she pressed a fingertip gently to her own mother's skin. As she withdrew, the mark took the shape of the Sun Tree, and Johanna's eyes locked on those of her youngest child, her new Master.

Delilah rose to her feet, and she put a hand lightly on Cassandra's shoulder. The young woman flinched, but the wizard smiled and gripped firmly to the noblewoman's arm, "Very good. Now call to your other slaves, they must be nearby. Do it, or your mother still pays for your insolent behavior."

Cassandra took a shuddering breath, and called out, "Come to me." The three women from the hallway entered the room, and the two on the bench sank to their knees at the young woman's feet.

Lady Briarwood smiled warmly, "Good. Tell them all to remain here, silently. Then we can go see your father and brothers, yes?"

Cassandra wiped at the tears in her eyes and on her cheeks with her free hand, Delilah still clutching her arm. She sniffed and said quietly, "Wait here, don't make any noise." Five heads nodded in silent unison.

"Very good, my dear. We'll go over a full set of instructions for them later, once we have the men under your sway," the wizard said with a wide smile. "Now come along, my dear. Slave, follow." Vax rose to his feet and followed as Delilah led the way toward the steps down to the castle's dungeon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised that things would get better, I never said for whom. At least Vax and Vex were in the same room for a moment.


	11. Plans In Motion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra sees Lady Briarwood begin to carry out her plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was definitely the most challenging chapter to write. I hope you enjoy it, and stick with me.

Cassandra could not remember the last time she had been to the dungeons beneath the castle. She must have been a child, just curious to see what they had been like. To her knowledge there had never been a prisoner kept in the castle during her lifetime.

This was no longer true. As the young noblewoman followed Lady Delilah Briarwood down the musty, torchlit hall, she could see figures behind the barred doors of the cells. Five in all, her brothers Julius, Percival, Oliver, and Ludwig, as well as her father, Frederick. Each of the men were shackled to the stone wall behind them.

Delilah gestured to the cells with a bright smile, like a child on the morning of Winter's Crest, "As you can see they are quite safe and very secure indeed. So long as you are a good girl that does as she is told, no harm will come to them. If not..." She stopped and leaned into her Half-Elven slave, caressing his cheek, "...then my little pet will have to play with them."

The brunette girl nodded slowly, "I'll do as you ask, please just don't hurt anyone." She looked up into the auburn-haired woman's dark brown eyes, "What is it that you want from us? From me?"

Lady Briarwood laughed deeply, "Why my dear, I want absolutely everything from you. You have an amazing gift. Any bindmark you touch activates. So I will take advantage of that. I'll place marks on anyone I wish, you will bond with them, then tell your new slave to obey me. An army of puppets at my command, and the only strings I need to pull are yours, my dear."

Cassandra blinked and her mouth hung open for a moment, "But I couldn't possibly give commands to so many, even just m-my family. Some would have to go without commands, and they would... You said it would hurt them."

Delilah reached out with a manicured hand to caress the younger woman's cheek, "Such a kind heart. Yes, I suppose there will be some suffering among those you don't contact regularly. But you will give general commands to all of them, to work the Whitestone mines, to cook and clean, to obey my every little command. That should suffice for most of them. Any other suffering is a small price to pay for absolute control of this city."

The young noblewoman stifled a sob, pressing the heel of her palm to her mouth. She shivered softly, "Just don't hurt anyone, please. I'll do whatever you want." Her eyes met those of her father, who dropped his gaze.

Lady Briarwood slipped her hand lightly around the girl's arm, "Indeed. But that's for tomorrow. Tonight we'll leave the boys here and go back to the women, since they're already under your control." She looked over to Vax'ildan and snapped, "Come along."

The young woman and the Half-Elf followed as Delilah led them back upstairs. They found the five marked women still waiting silently in the conservatory. Delilah smiled gently, and pointed to the floor beside her, "Kneel." Vax'ildan dropped immediately to his knees. The older woman tilted her head slightly as she eyed the brunette.

Cassandra blinked, and a blush colored her cheek, "D-did you want me to kneel, too?" She bit her bottom lip.

Lady Briarwood smiled softly and she stepped closer to the younger woman, cupping her chin and looking directly into her eyes, "No, my dear. But thank you for asking. What I do want you to do is to tell these slaves to obey me."

The younger woman nodded, "I will. Please don't hurt them." She took a deep breath, "I want you all to obey Lady Briarwood."

Delilah frowned and her grip on the brunette's chin tightened, "No. That won't work. Command them to obey me. Any further disobedience and my slave will slit your mother's throat."

Cassandra blinked back tears, but she nodded against the hand holding her so tightly, "Obey Lady Briarwood." She closed her eyes, and couldn't stop herself from crying after the command was spoken.

Lady Briarwood smiled, "Good girl. Very good. Ladies, stay here until you are told otherwise." She leaned forward and lightly touched her lips to Cassandra's forehead, "You'll come with me, dear, and sleep beside me tonight. I can't have you undermining all this hard work."

The young woman nodded as Delilah released her chin. She and Vax'ildan followed her upstairs and into her parents bedroom. Cassandra blinked softly as Lady Briarwood retrieved a length of rope from the Half-Elf's pouch. She found herself securely tied to the bedpost, sitting on the foot of the massive piece of furniture.

With a wave of her hand and a whispered word, Delilah cast a spell that sent Cassandra immediately to sleep. The young woman slumped down atop the thick blankets as Lady Briarwood settled in as though this had always been her own.

~~~~~

The next morning, Cassandra awoke with a start as she was being untied. Delilah was smiling, "I trust you slept well. I hope so, we have so much to do today. We'll have one of our little slaves make breakfast and then go add the boys to our new happy family, yes? Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

The brunette nodded sullenly, and rubbed at her wrists. She whispered softly, "Yes, just wonderful." Lady Briarwood had Vax'ildan stow the rope back in a pouch on his belt. The three of them made their way back downstairs.

The five marked women had slept where they were on the floor of the conservatory, and it did not appear to have been a comfortable night for them. Cassandra knew it was probably worse for the men, but she still felt terrible at the sight of her mother, sisters, Keyleth, and Vex'ahlia on the cold marble floor of the music room.

Delilah pointed to the oldest of the de Rolo daughters, "You, you know where the kitchen is. Go make breakfast for Cassandra and myself." Vesper rose and started walking toward the kitchen, eyes not leaving her youngest sister's until they had to.

Cassandra gestured to the other women, "What about them, they'll be allowed to eat as well, won't they?"

Lady Briarwood waved a hand dismissively, "Yes, yes. Later." She pointed to the mother, "Up to your old bedroom and make the bed. Kneel beside it when you've finished." Johanna got to her feet and ascended the stairs without so much as a word.

After assigning menial tasks to the other women as well, Delilah took Cassandra's hand and they walked to the kitchen. Vax'ildan remained in the conservatory, and the young noblewoman was certain she had seen him share a look with his twin as she had been sent off to search the castle for candles.

Vesper was preparing a simple meal, not having had much training as a cook. Eggs were frying in a skillet, and there were already a few pieces of bacon on a platter. The woman was licking her lips slightly, and Cassandra could hear her stomach rumble.

Delilah walked up to the woman and pinched her on the derrière, "You're doing fine. Bring it out to the dining room when it's ready and kneel beside your sister."

Without another word, Lady Briarwood led Cassandra to the dining room, "Please, my dear, have a seat. I want you to know that I have every intention of making your life very pleasant, unless you give me a reason not to."

The young noblewoman nodded slowly as she sat, "I will do as you ask. Please just don't harm my family. They don't deserve this. They've done nothing to you."

Delilah leaned forward, "They will do something now. They will serve. Your gift has created quite an opportunity for me, my dear. You will serve me best of all. I have no desire to harm your family. Please don't force me to do so."

At that point, Vesper entered and set plates of food in front of each woman, then knelt beside Cassandra's chair. Delilah smiled and exchanged plates with the younger woman, "Just a precaution. Feed a bite to your sister, my dear."

"I'm sure it's not poisoned, Lady Briarwood," the younger woman offered. She pulled apart a bit of the bacon and held it out to her sister, "Eat it."

Vesper murmured softly, "Yes, Mistress," then leaned forward to claim the bacon with her teeth. She chewed, swallowed, and settled back on her heels.

"There, you see? No problem at all," Cassandra said.

Delilah nodded as a wicked smile curled her lips, "Oh, I wasn't concerned. I simply wanted to see you feed your sister like a dog begging for scraps."

Both of the sisters blushed furiously. Vesper ducked her head. Lady Briarwood laughed, "And it was not disappointing. Now, eat up, my dear. We have work to do."

~~~~~

After eating, Delilah commanded Vesper to clear the dishes and remain in the kitchen until she was needed again. She led Cassandra back to the conservatory where the two Half-Elf twins stood silently, facing one another. Vex'ahlia held a basket full of candles in her arms, which Lady Briarwood took, lightly patting the girl's cheek.

"You two, come along with us and keep quiet," she commanded, and the group made their way down to the dungeons. Delilah took a pair of the candles, and made her way to the first of the cells. Cassandra recalled that Julius, the oldest of her siblings, was inside.

Lady Briarwood turned to Vax'ildan and Vex'ahlia, "You two, stand here, you with your dagger at her throat." The twins moved to comply with the command, and Cassandra gasped, "This isn't necessary, I promise. I will do as you ask. I will!"

"Just a little insurance. If I give the word, he will kill her without hesitation," Delilah said. The two Half-Elves simply stood one behind the other, expressionless with a naked blade held to Vex'ahlia's pale throat.

Lady Briarwood opened the door to the cell, which had been left unlocked. No lock on the door was necessary when the sole occupant was held to the wall in iron manacles. Julius lifted his head as the two women entered.

Cassandra sobbed once, and tried to get a hold of herself. She didn't want to give Delilah an excuse to do anything rash. Her brother offered an apologetic look, "Cass, I'm sorry. There was nothing we..."

Lady Briarwood placed a finger to the man's lips, "Hush now. You need to save your energy, a strapping young man like yourself. I have so much use for you." She took the candles, and a few other objects, powders and other things that Cassandra did not recognize. She recalled similar items from the time Delilah had placed the mark upon Vesper.

Lady Briarwood began to chant, her voice low and otherworldly. She manipulated the various objects with her fingertips, reddish-black energy forming around them. The candles burst into light and were quickly consumed. There was a swirling mass of arcane energy that looked just like the mark, concentrated around the wizard's hand. She began to reach out for Julius.

Cassandra found it difficult to breathe. She could feel her head racing. Time itself seemed to slow down. Someone was screaming. She realized after what felt like an eternity that it was herself.

Her hands grasped at Delilah's arm, and she forced it back. Cassandra was not the most physically fit of the de Rolo children, but her desperation provided a strength she never realized she possessed. Grunting with effort, she forced Lady Briarwood's hand to touch her own neck, just as the energy released.

Delilah, the unbound mark swirling across the surface of her skin, called out, "Slave, ki-", but was cut off as Cassandra touched the mark, causing it to coalesce into the shape of the Sun Tree.

"Shut. Your. Mouth. Sit down and do not move or speak," Cassandra said, shivering. She took a breath and ran to check on Vex'ahlia and Vax'ildan. The two were still standing together, the knife pressed against the girl's chin, just starting to draw blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things might finally start to get better! There's a glimmer of hope, at least.


	12. Aftermath and Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra and her family have to determine what to do next in the wake of Lady Briarwood's attempted coup.

Cassandra called out, "Delilah, come here, now." She waited, her chest heaving. Finally, the wizard arrived, walking slowly. The noblewoman looked at her newest bindmarked slave, "Tell him to carefully put the dagger away, and not to hurt her."

Lady Briarwood shifted her eyes to Vax'ildan, "Put the dagger away carefully. Do not hurt the girl." The Half-Elf complied, silently. Cassandra pulled Vex'ahlia into a tight embrace, "I am so sorry. I don't know what to say, what to do."

The former thief cried into her owner's neck and shoulder. They just held one another for a long moment. Finally, the Half-Elf lifted her head, "Thank you." She let go of Cassandra and hugged her brother tightly. Slowly, Vax'ildan raised his arms and returned the embrace.

Cassandra sighed and she looked at Delilah, "Release my brothers and father. Then we can figure out what to do from here." She let out a sigh as the wizard moved to obey her command.

Soon the five men were free. Vex'ahlia and her brother clung to one another. The young noblewoman let out a sigh, "This isn't over yet. Papa, you and the boys should go get some proper rest. I'll find mama, and the others, and we should look for the guards and servants." She looked down at Delilah, "You follow me. Tell Vax'ildan to obey me and Vex'ahlia, then keep your mouth shut."

Lady Briarwood looked to the Half-Elf, "Obey Cassandra and Vex'ahlia." Her mouth closed with an audible click of her teeth, and she shuddered with pleasure as she completed the command.

The group made their way out of the dungeon, and the de Rolo men made their way to their various bedrooms. Cassandra found Vesper in the kitchen, and led her, along with, Vex, Vax, and the wizard to a sitting room, "You three wait here. Delilah, kneel. Do not move or speak unless I tell you to." She sighed and went off in search of the others.

Her mother was kneeling beside the bed that her father had fallen asleep in, he having been unable to make her move. She rose at her daughter's command, "Do as you wish, Mama. Maybe take a nap with Papa. I'll make sure the others are alright."

She found Whitney kneeling naked beside a rapidly cooling bath. She had her sister get dressed and hugged her, "I'm so sorry. Do as you wish. You can go rest, or see if you can find the guards or servants. It's going to be alright."

It took much longer to find Keyleth. The Ashari had been told to weed the garden. Cassandra finally found her at the side of the castle, arms covered in dirt as she was pulling wild plants out by the root, "Keyleth, stop. Come here."

The redhead straightened and walked to her owner, then knelt before her, "As my Master commands."

Cassandra sank to her knees and wrapped her arms tightly around the Half-Elf, "I'm sorry. Delilah is slavebound to me now. It's almost over. I won't let anyone else control you, ever again." She felt Keyleth's arms circle her waist, and the two simply knelt together in the dirt, holding one another for some time.

Finally, Keyleth pulled back and asked in a whisper, "What are you going to do with her?"

The Human let out a deep sigh, "I haven't decided. I can never trust her." She gently caressed Keyleth's cheek, "Let's go find the others. We have to come to a decision."

She went back into the castle and decided to let her mother sleep. Whitney had found several of the servants locked in a storage room, and was still helping to untie them when Cassandra and Keyleth arrived. The three of them went to join the rest in the sitting room. The young noblewoman began to pace.

After a long time, she sat down and looked at Delilah's kneeling form, "What am I ever going to do with you? Tell me, is it actually possible to remove a bindmark?"

Lady Briarwood shook her head, but said nothing, her mouth remaining closed.

Cassandra nodded slowly, "I don't want to have to kill you. But I can't let you have the freedom to move or speak. You can't be trusted, even though I know you can't disobey me."

The noblewoman turned to her oldest sister, "Vesper, tell me, are you in love with Vex'ahlia? Or did my accidental command lead to a pleasant mistake?"

Vesper blushed slightly, "I believe that I am beginning to develop feelings for her, Mistress, but we became lovers due to what must have been a misunderstanding." Whitney and Vax'ildan both gasped and looked askance at their respective sisters.

Vex'ahlia lightly swatted her brother's arm, "Please. As if you're one to say something about any relationship. It was a misunderstanding about sleeping arrangements that turned into something nice."

Cassandra nodded slowly, "So at least one good thing happened from you two getting marked." She sighed, and sat down, her elbows on her knees, and her chin in her hand. She looked at the kneeling, quiet form of Delilah Briarwood, "Vax'ildan can't be free if you live. My mother and sisters, along with Vex'ahlia and Keyleth can't be free if I live."

Keyleth fell to her knees, and both Vesper and Vex'ahlia rushed to the brunette's side. It was the Ashari that spoke first, "I do not want to be free, Master. Certainly not at the cost of your life. But even if that weren't at stake, I am happy to be yours. It is not my place to speak for the others, but I believe that Vex'ahlia and Lady Vesper feel the same way. We are your slaves."

Whitney moistened her lips, and quietly said, "I don't want you to die, Cass. I don't think I want to be a slave, but if I have to be, I'm glad it's for you."

Vex'ahlia took Cassandra's hand in both of hers and squeeze, "I am your property, which is certainly the best thing Delilah ever did for me. I don't want to be free either, I just want my brother back."

Cassandra smiled gently, and she stroked Keyleth's hair lightly with her free hand, "I don't want to die, but...if you're all happy, that's what matters to me."

Vesper leaned in and kissed her youngest sister lightly on the cheek, "I am very happy to be yours. In time, Whitney and mother will be, too. And Delilah as well, I imagine."

The brunette sighed, "She might. But..." She looked down at her newest slave, the auburn-haired wizard from Wildmount, "Delilah, speak only to respond to me. Tell me if you will attempt to betray me or gain the upper hand."

Lady Briarwood swallowed and licked her dry lips, "I must obey you, but unless you order me not to, I will make every effort to undermine your control." Her mouth closed again, and she smiled slightly as pleasure from obeying her owner moved through her mind

Cassandra closed her eyes, "Delilah, do not try to undermine my authority. Do not attempt to betray me. Do not cast spells. Ever. Do not speak without specific permission." She signed and looked to Vax'ildan, "We'll need to keep her locked up. She won't be able to give you commands except under strict supervision. I'm so sorry."

Vex'ahlia whispered softly, "You don't have to keep her, Mistress."

Whitney nodded her agreement, "We should kill her now and be done with it."

Vesper patted her sister's shoulder, "She is yours now. It's your decision, Mistress."

The young noblewoman looked to Keyleth, "What do you think?"

The Ashari thought for a long moment. She looked over at Delilah, then back up to Cassandra, "She is yours now, forever. Killing her would release Vex'ahlia's brother from his bond. But it would also make you...less." She blushed and looked st the floor, "Master is the most important person in the world, to me, at least. I do not think that you should lower yourself. People who kill are sometimes sold into slavery. That would never suit you, Master."

Cassandra nodded thoughtfully, "For now she lives. I'm not a killer. There are other matters to consider as well. I believe there is also a Lord Briarwood, for example." She quirked her lips in a wry grin, "That probably won't go over well, I would imagine."

The brunette sighed and caressed Keyleth's cheek affectionately, "I'm sorry you got caught up in all of this. I promise to take better care of you. Okay, here's how this is going to work. Vesper and Whitney, go get some sleep. In your own separate beds. Vex'ahlia, go get your brother cleaned up and find him some comfortable clothes. Vax'ildan, go with your sister and do as she says."

The four went off to comply with the commands they had been given. Cassandra looked at Keyleth and Delilah who knelt side by side. She shook her head slowly, "Delilah, I want to be able to treat you well. Be good. Obey Keyleth. Learn from her how to be a proper slave. For that is how you must live from now on. Nod if you understand."

The wizard and former near-dictator bobbed her head in a single nod. The young noblewoman smiled at the Ashari, "Train her well. We want her to live and be happy, if it's at all possible."

The Half-Elf nodded, "As my Master commands. I do not believe that she will be as easy to train as Lady Vesper, but I will do everything I can to make her a suitable slave for you, Master." She paused and her voice dropped a bit as she added, "Thank you, Master, for being exactly who you are."

With that, Keyleth stood, curtsied to her owner, and snapped her fingers at Delilah, "Follow, keep your head bowed. Your eyes belong on the floor, which is your place, slave."

If Cassandra hadn't known better, she would have thought that Keyleth was acting just a bit vindictive toward Delilah. The noblewoman smiled as she watched the two leave the sitting room, "Good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working our way toward the happy ending. Of course we probably can't have things go too well for too long, can we?


	13. Discussions, Discoveries, Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra spends time talking with those she's bound. She learns something new about the bond, and makes up her mind about a few things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one almost got split into two chapters, but I decided to keep it intact.

Cassandra was pacing back and forth in her room. She was trying to come up with a term for the six bindmarked women in her life. Not to mention the male Half-Elf who had become hers by default.

They weren't concubines, three of them were blood relatives. They were by no means a harem. She was loathe to use the word _slave_ , but it did seem the most appropriate.

The young noblewoman stopped her pacing and looked to Delilah Briarwood, who knelt on the floor nearby. After her failed attempt to use Cassandra's ability to activate any bindmark she touched, the wizard had been tricked into marking herself. She now had to obey any command given to her by the youngest de Rolo child.

"Tell me, do you think of yourself as my slave now Delilah?" Cassandra sat on the edge of her bed as she considered the fallen noble from Wildemount.

Lady Briarwood, as she had until recently been known certainly looked the part of a slave now. As part of her training, Keyleth had insisted that the woman be dressed in a simple cotton shift and silver ring, the mark of an owned slave. Her long auburn hair was no longer worn in an elaborate bun, but in a simple braid that hung to the small of her back.

Allowed to speak in response to Cassandra's command, Delilah said, "I am now whatever you wish me to be, Master. I am bound to you forever and must obey you."

The younger woman nodded, "That's true. And your own fault. But this isn't about blame. I just can't bring myself to think of my mother or sisters as slaves. Well, maybe Vesper at this point." She shook her head and started to pace again.

Delilah raised her head, and looked up at Cassandra. Keyleth wanted the wizard trained to act as a proper slave, but the former noble had insisted on a means to ask for permission to speak. This simple act of looking up was that means.

Cassandra stopped walking and waved a hand, "You may speak. I'm not going to fall back into being as cruel as you intended to be."

The auburn-haired woman bowed slightly, as best she could from her knees, "Thank you, Master. We, those of us that are bound to you, are your slaves. By circumstance or design, we are yours to command. From what little I have witnessed of the others, most seem glad to be yours, Master. Especially those to whom it has been made quite clear that they are indeed slaves."

Cassandra sighed and sat on her bed again, "Keyleth, Vex'ahlia, and Vesper, you mean. And you're probably not wrong. They do seem reasonably happy."

Her eyes moved to meet those of the older woman, "Would you be happier if I made it clear that you were indeed my slave, and that I wanted you to be?"

Delilah returned her gaze to the floor, "Undoubtedly, Master."

Cassandra frowned, "I don't know if I can accept that answer from you. You wanted to enslave my whole family, with me pulling their strings after you turned them into puppets."

Lowering her head to the floor, the former Lady Briarwood whispered, "I do not deserve your forgiveness, but I humbly beg it, Master."

Cassandra sighed, "I don't think I can ever forgive you. Stand up." As the older woman complied, the young brunette walked up and looked into her dark eyes, "But I will try to let you be happy. If you are to be my slave, I won't have you miserable."

"As my Master commands," Delilah said with the faintest of smiles.

~~~~~

Later, Cassandra visited Vesper in her room. In the time since Delilah's attempted takeover had been thwarted, the young noblewoman had taken to calling this 'the V room', since Vex'ahlia and her brother Vax'ildan had all but moved on with the oldest of the de Rolo daughters.

This moment was no exception. The three were sitting together at the small table near the window. They were sharing tea and talking amiably as Cassandra entered. As the two women noticed their Mistress arrive, they smiled brightly. Vax'ildan grew quiet, but bowed his head in acknowledgment.

The young noblewoman blushed as the three waited for her to speak. She smiled and crooked a finger, "Vesper, come here. I need to talk with you."

The taller Human rose from her seat and rushed over to kneel in front of Cassandra, "Of course, Mistress."

Her blush deepened, but she turned her attention to the Half-Elves, "Are you two doing alright? Vax, do you need me to bring Delilah to you?"

Vex'ahlia smiled and rose enough to curtsy before returning to her seat, "Fine, thank you, Mistress. We were just discussing how wonderful it is that you treat us like family. Of course Vesper really is your family, but..."

Patting Vesper playfully on the head, Cassandra nodded. She said, "Wait here," to her sister, then crossed the room and bent down to kiss each of the Half-Elves gently on the cheek, "You are my family. Just like the rest of them I had no choice in the matter."

"And just like with the rest of them, I couldn't be happier to have you in my life," she said as she pulled Vex up into a tight embrace. The former thief returned the hug and glanced at her brother.

"We are so glad to be yours, Mistress," she said.

Vax'ildan stood slowly and nodded. "It is true, Lady Cassandra. I may still be bound to Delilah Briarwood, but I am forever grateful to you for reuniting me with Stubby here."

Cassandra smiled, "I'm so glad. Alright, you two finish your tea. Vex'ahlia, when you have done that, clean this room thoroughly." The Half-Elf swallowed he remainder of her tea in one large gulp and she shivered as she offered a smile.

"Oh, yes, Mistress. That will be my pleasure," she replied.

Cassandra led Vesper out into the hallway and closed the door as the Half-Elf got to work. She smiled gently at her sister and asked, "Is it fitting for a Master to fall in love with her slave?"

Vesper grinned wickedly as she looked into her sister's pale blue eyes, "Why Mistress, this is so sudden. I had no idea you felt this way."

The younger sister sighed softly and shook her head, "I don't mean you, though I wanted to talk about whether or not you see yourself as my slave. I guess now I know."

The taller woman smiled, "I am indeed your slave, Mistress. And to answer your first question, well... You're in charge, so whatever you want to be appropriate is. Does that make sense?"

Cassandra sighed, "I'm not that special. It's not like I could look into one of your eyes and say 'Fall madly in love with me'." She happened to have been looking into her sister's eyes as she spoke, and could see a visible change in them.<\p>

Vesper gasped softly, her hand rising to cover her mouth. Her cheeks darkened and she lowered her eyes, "Mistress, I..." She licked her lips, unable to finish the thought.

The young noblewoman gasped softly as well, shaking her head, "No, I can only command you to do things, not feel things. Right?"

The older woman shook her head, "A woman, a Goddess such as yourself can do anything she pleases. Anything."

Panic beginning to overtake the younger woman, she took a few steps back, "No. This is not good. Vesper, I thought you had feelings for Vex'ahlia?"

Vesper blinked slightly, "Who? Oh, yes, her. A brief infatuation. She is nothing compared to you, Mistress. I am ready to give myself to you completely."

Cassandra shook her head, "That will absolutely not be necessary. Vesper, stop. Go back to the way you felt about me before we came out of your room."

The older woman blinked again, and she blushed, dropping to her knees and taking hold of her sister's hand, "That was... I don't know if I can describe it. Cassandra, Mistress, please don't feel bad about it."

"How in the world could I not feel bad about that, Ves? Your emotions aren't some plaything for me," the young noblewoman complained. She squeezed her sister's hand and sighed, "I had no idea that would happen."

Vesper nodded, "I believe you. I also love you and trust you. But you should know that it was real. I was absolutely and completely in love with you. And it felt amazing."

"I have to be so careful around you, all of you," Cassandra said. "If I can change the way you think or feel, that would..." She let her thought drift off, and her lips curled into a smile.

"I'll have to give it some thought, and then have a nice long talk with Delilah," she finished. Looking up at Vesper, the noblewoman smiled, "Go help finish cleaning your room. And thank you."

The older woman opened the door and blew her sister a kiss, "Yes, Mistress, my love."

"That's not funny."

~~~~~

The young noblewoman found her mother Johanna and sister Whitney together in the conservatory. She bit her bottom lip as she recalled that this was the room where she had been forced to claim them. The two seemed deep in conversation, and did not seem to notice her arrival, at first.

Cassandra gently cleared her throat, and the two turned to look at her. Whitney smiled warmly, and their mother pursed her lips, looking thoughtful, "Hello, Cassandra. Or should we call you something else now? All the others," at this she waved a hand toward the faintly-glowing red-black tree upon her forehead, "call you Mistress or Master."

The younger woman blushed and ducked her head, "Oh, Mother, I am so sorry that this happened to you. You can call me anything you wish. I'm still your daughter."

Johanna frowned, "A daughter that I have to be commanded by, and must obey. And poor Whitney will never be able to marry now, not with that on her forehead."

Cassandra sighed, "I wish I could fix it, but there's no way to remove the mark." _Without me dying_ , she thought.

Whitney reached up and patted her younger sister's arm, "We know it's not your fault, Cassie. Mistress."

Johanna gasped at the last word, and the middle de Rolo daughter shrugged, "I just wanted to try saying it. Vesper does, and she even wears a slave ring, too. If I can't get married, which I really didn't want to, to be honest, maybe I can just be Cassie's slave. You'll still let me work on my inventions with Percy, won't you?"

Cassandra blinked and shook her head at first. Then, at Whitney's crestfallen expression, she waved a hand, "No. I mean yes. I mean you don't need me to let you do anything. I don't own either of you. I just want you both to be happy. Accept your marks with pride and be okay with having to bear them."

Both of the older women blinked once or twice, then slowly nodded. Cassandra gasped, "Oh, I wasn't trying to... But I did. Mother, how do you feel about your mark?"

Johanna reached up and lightly touched the silhouette of the Sun Tree, "I'm proud to have it there. It's a connection to you, dear."

Whitney nodded in clear agreement and Cassandra smiled faintly, "Well, that's good. I love you both and all I want is for you to be happy and safe. Whitney, you don't really want to be my slave, do you?"

The older woman shrugged her shoulders, "I like being marked by you and following your orders feels good. I think I already am, whether we want to admit it or not."

Cassandra found herself blushing again, "We don't have to call it that. With Vesper, I just sort of needed her to stop being....Vesper."

Whitney laughed and nodded, "I completely understand. So, you could tell us to want to be your slaves, and we would? Is that right?"

Johanna frowned and stood up, "Whitney Johanna Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo, don't you dare encourage this. All of this was a huge mistake. We have to live with the situation, but we are not slaves, no matter what Lady Briarwood may have done."

"The full name. I've gone too far," Whitney said. She looked up at her mother. "Except that I'm right. If Cassandra told me to lick her boots, I would do it. Without question or hesitation. And it would feel so good. We should be thankful that it wasn't Vesper who wound up in control of us."

The family matriarch turned and strode out of the room without another word. The two sisters watched her leave. Cassandra sighed and sat down where her Mother had been. Whitney leaned into her, and rested her head against her younger sister's shoulder.

"I didn't mean to upset her. But the facts are what they are. If you were a cruel person, you'd already be using me as a footrest or something like that," Whitney said.

Cassandra inhaled sharply and said, "Tell me that's not something you want."

"That's not something I want," the older woman parroted. "Mm, that felt good. I enjoy it, Cassie. So it's okay to tell me what to do."

The younger woman smiled gently, "I'll remember that. But I already have Keyleth and Vex'ahlia, who were purchased." She patted her sister on the arm, "I already have one sister who's become a willing slave. I'd like to keep one sister."

Whitney grinned, "You're in charge. And Mother will come around. She's just frightened to admit that it feels good. And she was worried about what Delilah was going to do with us."

Cassandra nodded, "That makes sense. I'll try to reassure her that I'm not quite so awful." She grinned, "Since I don't need my boots licked, go clean and organize your workshop. Don't let Percival help you."

Whitney hopped up and saluted with a smile, "Yes, Mistress Cassandra." She winked and headed down to do as she had been told.

~~~~~

Cassandra found Keyleth in the library. The Half-Elf was bent over a book, running a finger along the page. Her lips moved as she read quietly to herself.

The noblewoman watched for a while, staying out of sight behind a nearby set of shelves. The Ashari lifted a hand to gently touch the mark upon her shoulder. She lifted her head and looked directly at Cassandra, "Master, how may I serve you?"

Blinking, the young woman approached, "How did you know I was here?"

Keyleth closed the book and gave her full attention to her owner, "I can feel your heartbeat through the mark, Master. I can tell when you're upset or frightened, and I've learned how to tell how far away you are."

"That's truly impressive, Keyleth," Cassandra said. She smiled and reached out to lightly touch the purple tree with a fingertip, feeling her own pulse within it.

The Ashari smiled softly, "You still have not told me how I may serve you, Master."

Cassandra moved her fingers to lightly brush through Keyleth's long red hair. She let out a sigh, "I'm frightened now. Can you feel that?"

The Half-Elf touched her mark once again, and she nodded, "Your heart is beating very fast, Master."

"I found out today that I can command someone with a bound mark to think or feel differently than they already do. No one should have that kind of power," the noblewoman said softly. "I never want to hurt any of you."

"I am yours, Master, to do with as you please," Keyleth said quietly, casting her gaze to the tabletop, "The others are your family, or became yours through unusual circumstances. If you wish to hurt a slave, it should be me."

Letting out a squeak, Cassandra threw her arms around the Ashari and squeezed tightly, "No! Don't say things like that. I never ever want to hurt you." She paused for a moment, and placed a kiss on the older woman's cheek, "I love you."

"As my Master commands," the Half-Elf said, the tips of her ears turning pink.

"Keyleth, 'I love you' is not a command."

The Ashari bowed her head, "That is true, Master, but I will no longer say certain things. I would tell you what, but I am not allowed to say them."

Cassandra giggled, "Okay. That's fair." She tilted Keyleth's chin with her fingertips and looked into her green eyes, "But I do love you, Keyleth. And I'm scared that I'll say something that will change the way you feel. You don't deserve that."

The Half-Elf stared into her Master's deep blue eyes. The woman had not lied to her in all the time that they had been together. But Masters did not love slaves. That was simply the way things had always been.

Mind racing, the Ashari considered a number of questions. Was it remotely possible that this was true? Her Master had never lied. And what a Master said was true _became_ the truth.

Did Master mean that she was _in love_ with her? Perhaps. She had not said that specifically. What would that mean? Masters could have sex with slaves, that was often what slaves were for. But to actually be in love...no, that was for free people who could choose their own path.

Was she in love with her Master? Undeniably. She could never say so. She had no right to such feelings. They had kissed, embraced, but never shared the same bed except when traveling.

Would Master want her as a lover? Impossible. She had never taken her slave to bed. Maybe she didn't like girls that way. And even if she did, she had Vex'ahlia or Vesper, who were far more attractive. Assuming Master liked girls. The thought of an incest taboo did not occur to the Ashari.

She realized that she had simply been staring into her Master's eyes in silence for some time. She blushed brightly and closed her eyes, "Master is too kind. I am grateful to be your slave, and very happy to serve you."

Cassandra smiled softly, "I haven't been kind enough, I'm afraid. You've been so wonderful to me and for me. I want to... Well, I'd give you your freedom in an instant if I could, but the mark would still be there. I can't give you your freedom. But I can give you my heart. I love you."

Keyleth's mind started to race again, her eyes widening, "Master? I do not understand. What does this mean? Do you not wish me to serve you?"

"Well, I wish you weren't forced into slavery because you were born Ashari and years later I touched a magical mark that bound you to me forever," Cassandra said. "But I do want to keep you forever."

She leaned forward and pressed her lips lightly to Keyleth's, just for a moment.

The Half-Elf's eyes closed, and she felt her own heart racing now. But this couldn't be. It was not supposed to be.

Her eyes opened wide, and she pulled back, just enough to whisper, "Vex'ahlia or Vesper have more experience, Master. Surely they would make for a better lover. Or Vax'ildan."

Cassandra lowered her hand and leaned back, "I am not in love with them. They don't mean to me what you do. But I will never force you to feel something you don't."

It seemed that Keyleth was about to say something more when a guard came into the room, "Lady Cassandra? Ah, there you are, ma'am. Your father sent for you. There is a Lord Silas Briarwood who insists upon meeting you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure things will work out fine.


	14. The Bear in the Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Briarwood is displeased with the de Rolo family. Keyleth is able to save her from his wrath.

Cassandra made her way down the hall, following the guardsman who led her to her father's study. She saw her father, Frederick, seated at his large wooden desk on the far side of the room. Across from him was a man she did not recognize. He had short black hair with a hint of grey at the temples, from what little she could see from this angle. He was wearing a steel breastplate, which the young woman found unusual. It was rare for anyone but guards to wear armor inside the castle.

Her assumption that this was the man in question was quickly confirmed as her father rose and gestured toward the visitor, "Ahh, Cassandra, there you are. This is Lord Briarwood, and he would like to speak with you. We have already been discussing what his wife had done here."

The gentleman rose and turned to face Cassandra, just as Keyleth arrived. The Half-Elf stood quietly at Cassandra's side for a moment, then sank slowly to her knees and bowed her head. Lord Briarwood spared a glance for the slave, then looked to the young noblewoman.

"You may call me Silas, young lady. I do want to offer my apologies for my wife's behavior," he said. "I assure you that such actions are not something I could ever condone. I hope that Delilah has not given you further trouble. At any rate, I am here to collect her and return to Wildemount where we will trouble you no further."

Cassandra swallowed audibly, and glanced to her father before meeting Silas' intense gaze, "I take it that you weren't told all the details about what happened, Lord Briarwood. I'm afraid it's a bit complicated."

Frowning, the visitor folded his arms, "Complicated in what respect? Your father explained that Delilah attempted to bindmark your family, and attempted to exploit that in some way."

The young woman sighed and said, "Keyleth, I believe that Delilah is in Vesper's room. Can you go get her, please?"

The Ashari rose smoothly to her feet, "As my Master commands."

As the Half-Elf left, Cassandra returned her attention to the visitor, "As your wife was attempting to put a bindmark on my brother, I struggled with her, and she wound up putting it on herself. And when I touched it, it activated." She paused and took a deep breath, "Delilah is now..."

"...your slave," Silas finished before the young woman could.

"I was doing to say bound to me, but yes, in essence," she replied. "It was not the outcome I wanted. The alternative would have been subjecting my entire family, my entire city, to a life of slavery."

Silas rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "I see. And there is no way to remove such a mark, once it has been activated." He glanced to Frederick, "You knew of this development?"

The nobleman nodded, "I did. It was not something I could simply drop into conversation. My wife and daughters are all also bound to Cassandra this way. Through actions initiated by your wife, I'd like to point out."

Lord Briarwood nodded, "Then the answer is simple. To free your wife and daughters, as well as my wife, young Cassandra must die."

Frederick bristled, rising from his overstuffed chair, "You must be joking, Briarwood. You don't get to threaten my daughter inside the walls of this castle."

Silas flipped his red cloak aside, revealing the hilt of a sword sheathed at his hip, "It is no threat, de Rolo. Your daughter's life became forfeit the moment she claimed my wife. No Briarwood will ever live as a slave so long as I can draw steel to prevent it."

Just then, Keyleth returned, followed closely by Vesper, Delilah, and the twins. The five entered the room, and Lord Briarwood turned to inspect them, his hand upon the pommel of his sword.

His dark eyes raked over his wife, hair in a long simple broad, wearing a simple white dress and a leather collar. Nostrils flaring, he drew the sword in a single motion, brandishing the blade, "You have the audacity to dress my wife, Lady Delilah Briarwood, in the manner of a slave. No, Cassandra, you die here and now."

Vex'ahlia was the first to react, tapping her brother on the shoulder, "Vax, stop him." The slightly taller Half-Elf drew a dagger from his boot, and threw it. The small blade clattered off of the nobleman's steel breastplate and fell harmlessly to the woven rug.

With a growl, Silas strode forward, ignoring Frederick's protest. Vesper tugged Vex'ahlia back out of the room. Cassandra swallowed and closed her eyes upon seeing Lord Briarwood raise his blade and swing it in her direction. Too frightened to move, she expected to feel the blade slice her throats at any moment.

It didn't. The young woman became slowly aware of a loud growling sound very nearby. She heard something heavy land on the carpet near her feet, and a curse in the voice of Lord Briarwood. After a moment, she dared to open one eye.

The sight that she took in was shocking. Silas was standing a few feet away from her, his sword on the floor. Locked in a grapple with the man was a huge brown bear, it's teeth exposed, growling in anger.

Cassandra looked around quickly. Vesper and the twins were barely visible in the hallway. Delilah stood a few feet away, head bowed. Her father was in shock, having fallen back into his chair. Keyleth was nowhere to be found.

It took a long time for the young noblewoman to clear her mind of the shock. She waved to Vesper, "Go to your room! Run!" She looked to Delilah, and said, "Come with me," taking the woman's hand. She ran out of the room, calling out, "Keyleth! Run to my room!"

She started to make her way down the hall, when suddenly the bear came bursting through the doorway, nearly knocking both Delilah and Cassandra to the floor as it ran on all fours, vanishing around the corner that led to the rooms of the de Rolo children.

Making her way to the corner, Cassandra cautiously peered around the wall. To her surprise, the bear was sitting beside her door, looking down the corridor back at her. The young noblewoman blinked and licked her parched lips.

She glanced back the other way, only to see Lord Briarwood stepping out of the study. She took a quick breath and looked back to the bear, "Keyleth? Come here." The bear moved quickly to her side. She suddenly remembered that she was still holding Delilah's hand.

"Alright. The bear is Keyleth. Keyleth is the bear. That's fine. Not a problem at all. Anyway, Delilah, go to my room and wait there quietly," she said. Lady Briarwood moved off, and Silas walked up, sword in hand.

The Keyleth-bear growled and rose up on her rear legs, swiping her claws at the armored man. They struck at his arm and shoulder, drawing blood. Lord Briarwood swung his blade, leaving a long gash in the bear's side.

Cassandra cried out, and eventually a trio of guards arrived, rapiers drawn. They seemed nervous and confused upon encountering a full-grown bear in the hallway. With another growl, the bear tackled Silas to the ground, sending his sword flying again.

The guards grabbed the man and dragged him off, presumably taking him to the dungeon. Cassandra turned and looked at the bear's side, checking the wound, "Keyleth? You're hurt! I am so confused."

One moment, Cassandra was touching the fur of a wounded bear, and the next Keyleth herself was standing there, looking fully intact. She was also blushing crimson, "I am not injured, Master. I am sorry if you're confused." She ducked her head, "As you've seen, I can take on the forms of animals."

"And here I thought you were out of surprises for me," Cassandra said with a smile. "You saved my life."

Keyleth nodded, "I will not allow harm to come to you, Master. Even at the cost of my own life."

Cassandra hugged the Half-Elf tightly, "I don't want you putting yourself in harm's way for me. But I am grateful. He would have had my head for sure."

She kissed the Ashari quickly on the lips, "We need to check on the others. Come with me." Still blushing, the redhead nodded, "As my Master commands."

They went to Cassandra's room first, and found Delilah kneeling beside the bed. The older woman looked up as the others entered, "I am glad you are safe, Master. I hope that my husband did not harm you or your slave."

"Luckily Keyleth was able to stop him. But he would have killed me, which I suppose would have freed you." She let out a sigh, "I wish there were a way to remove the marks without killing the person who activated them. I could at least free Vax'ildan."

Delilah tilted her head slightly, but said nothing.

Cassandra frowned, "Tell me what you were just thinking."

The auburn-haired woman met the younger woman's gaze, "I was wondering what would happen if you were to touch a mark that had already been activated, Master."

Cassandra blinked, "Well, I've touched Keyleth's a few times. Wait, is that why she became a bear?"

Delilah smiled softly, "No, Master. Your slave is of the Ashari, many of which were known to have mastered Beast-shaping abilities."

Keyleth stayed quiet, looking down at her feet.

Cassandra tapped her chin thoughtfully, "I haven't touched Vax'ildan's mark. I'll try it. You two stay here." She was answered with a harmonized chorus of, "As my Master commands."

The young woman made her way down the hall to Vesper's bedroom. She stepped inside and received a hug from her sister along with nervous smiles from the twins. She offered a smile of her own, "It's alright. Keyleth captured Lord Briarwood."

Vex'ahlia stood up, her eyes wide, "She turned into a bear! It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

Cassandra grinned, "Pretty spectacular, that's true. We will definitely have to talk about that. But for the moment I want to talk to Vax'ildan, if I may."

The Half-Elf stood up, "I assure you, my lady, that while I did once serve the Briarwoods, I belong specifically to Lady Briarwood, and had nothing to do with Silas' attack today."

The young noblewoman smiled, especially when Vex squeezed her brother's hand supportively, "It's alright. I know you had nothing to do with that. It's about your mark. I've never touched an active one before."

Vax'ildan stepped forward and nodded, "You may do so, of course. Though I do not know what good it will do."

Cassandra nodded, "I know. Perhaps it won't do anything. But Delilah pointed out that I hadn't tried it. Why I should believe anything that she..."

Her voice trailed off as her fingers lightly caressed the dagger-shaped mark on the Half-Elf's forehead. It immediately began to disperse, wiggling and squirming. It looked as though it were reverting to it's original unbound state. Then it began to coalesce, taking the familiar shape of the Sun Tree silhouette.

The slender Half-Elf gasped, his eyes closing as he caught his breath. When they reopened, he looked into Cassandra's blue eyes and said, "Mistress."

Cassandra blushed pink, and dropped her gaze, "I was hoping that would free you."

"I am yours now, Mistress. After any time in service to Delilah Briarwood, this is freedom. I am with my sister now, yours," Vax'ildan said solemnly.

Vex'ahlia rushed over, not sure which of the two she wanted to hug first. So she squeezed her brother as tightly as she could, laughing out loud, and reached out for Cassandra.

The young noblewoman joined the embrace, kissing each of the Half-Elves on the cheek, "I'm glad you're both happy. I don't want either of you to be slaves, but I'm glad you're out from the Briarwood's thumb."

Vax'ildan grinned, "We are glad to be yours, if we have to be anyone's. Aren't we, Stubby?"

Vex'ahlia gave her brother a playful shove, "We are. Thank you, Mistress."

Cassandra sighed, and took Vesper's hand, "Let's give them some privacy, shall we?" The two sisters left the room as the twin siblings sat down to talk, already giggling as they pointed at their now-matching bindmarks.

The two made their way back to Cassandra's room. They entered and the young noblewoman looked to Delilah, "I don't want to do this, but I might have to make you put a bindmark on your husband."

Vesper gasped, and Delilah lifted her head. The auburn-haired woman said quietly, "I will do anything you say, of course, but that will not work, Master."

Cassandra blinked, "What? Why wouldn't it work?"

"A mark can only be placed upon a living person."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd wanted to incorporate Keyleth's Druidic abilities sooner, but this seemed like the appropriate place and time.


	15. Out of the Frying Pan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra and Keyleth confront Silas, or attempt to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things keep getting worse, but there are happy days in sight.

"I'm sorry," Cassandra stated."I thought I heard you say that a mark could only be placed on a living person. Does that mean your husband isn't alive, Delilah?"

Lady Briarwood nodded once, "That is correct, Master. Silas is undead."

Vesper threw up her hands, "That's just fantastic. We have an undead monster on his way to our..."

Cassandra cut her off, "Dungeon. The guards!" She looked up at her sister, "Take Delilah to your room. Find some kind of weapons for the twins."

She frowned, "No, that won't..." But Vesper was already obeying the command. She lifted Delilah over her shoulder with a grunt and carried the woman off toward her bedroom.

The young noblewoman frowned. If her fears were correct, those guards were injured, unconscious, or worse. And there was nothing she could do about it. So she ran to collect Keyleth and meet the others in Vesper's room.

Shortly after the two arrived, Vesper came in with a pair of swords. Cassandra recognized them from the wall display in her father's study. As each of the twins was handed a blade, the young noblewoman cleared her throat.

All the eyes in the room turned to her. She smiled gently, "To make it simple, Silas Briarwood is some kind of undead and we..." She turned to Delilah, "Tell is what sort of creature he is."

The auburn-haired woman met her gaze, "He is a vampire, Master."

Cassandra sighed, "A vampire. Right. Okay. Everyone except Keyleth stay here. If he comes, let him have Delilah. Do not try to fight him."

"Delilah, if he comes to take you, go with him. Otherwise obey Vex'ahlia and Vesper. You still belong to me, but I don't want anyone getting hurt over you. Not even you."

She took Keyleth's hand, "Come with me. We are going to see if Silas made it to the dungeon and check on those guards."

"As my Master commands," the Ashari replied.

The two young women crept carefully through the halls toward the dungeon. Cassandra tried to follow the path that the guards would have taken. At every corner she hesitated, expecting to find bloody corpses in a pile around the bend.

They reached the stairs to the dungeon itself without incident. As the noblewoman was about to open the door, Keyleth touched her shoulder. The Ashari blushed furiously and kept her eyes averted.

"Master, you should remain here and let me go first. I will let you know if there is any danger. I know it is not my place to tell you what to do, Master," the Half-Elf said.

Cassandra shook her head, and opened her mouth to speak. Keyleth quickly placed her hand over her owner's lips, "I apologize, Master. You may punish me later. But unless you have learned how to turn into a bear or a fly, I need you to wait here. I will not allow any harm to come to you."<\p>

The noblewoman blinked, but nodded. Keyleth bowed her head, "Thank you, Master. I..." Her blush deepened, and her voice dropped to a whisper barely loud enough for Cassandra to hear, "I love you."

With that, the Ashari closed her eyes and was suddenly gone. The Human realized that she had become a fly, which darted through the barred window of the dungeon door.

Cassandra waited nervously, looking through the bars. After a moment, she realized that the workshop Percival and Whitney shared was just around the corner. She cast another glance through the bars, then rushed to the other room.

There was clutter, as was always the case. Whitney claimed that she always knew where everything was, despite Percival's constant attempts to keep the room tidy. Across the room on a workbench was what Cassandra sought.

Whitney called the object a "thunder stick", and her younger sister understood why the first time she saw it used. A cloud of smoke and a noise unlike anything she had ever heard accompanied the spherical projectile that was fired from the device. There was a small box containing a few such spheres nearby as well.

Cassandra tried to remember how to prepare the contraption. She picked up the wood and metal cylinder, and poured some powder into the open end. Unable to recall how much to use, she just kept pouring. She found the rod that Whitney used to tamp the powder down, and did so herself. Finally, she rolled one of the spheres into place.

Thus armed, she crept back to the door, which she saw was now partially opened. She rushed forward and through the door, and ran to the first corner. She stopped and leaned against the wall. She feared that her heart would beat through her chest. Her eyes closed as she pictured Keyleth's lifeless body on the floor around the next corner.

Finally, she peeked around the corner and could not hold back a gasp. She saw the three guards down on the floor, unmoving. Silas stood above them, one arm upraised, with Keyleth dangling from the vampire's outstretched hand.

Cassandra heard screaming, and realized that it was herself. She stared at the undead monster and cried out, "Let her go, Silas! I will give your wife back to you and you can go in peace. Just let her go."

Lord Briarwood turned and faced the young woman, holding the Ashari as though she were a broken toy. He smiled at her, and Cassandra could see the vicious canine teeth flash in the torchlight. He glanced to Keyleth and said, "No, I think not. This one does. Then each member of your family, one by one, until only you remain."

"Your wife is safe. You can take her and go," Cassandra said with a sob. She looked down at the object in her hands, and her fingers fumbled with the hammer. She pulled it back with a click. If she pulled the trigger, the hammer would fly forward, flint and steel igniting a fuse that would send the steel ball out like a miniature cannon. She pictured it punching right through Silas Briarwood's heart.

The vampire laughed and dropped the Half-Elf, who fell to the floor with a groan. Silas brought his hands together, "I will rescue my wife from your clutches soon enough. But not until you watch your family bleed."

With another scream, Cassandra pulled the trigger on the thunder stick, which bucked in her hands. There was a flash of fire that shot from the end of it for several feet. The sheer noise of the thing, combined with the billow of smoke, made the young woman believe that the castle had collapsed on top of them.

The sound echoed from the stone walls, leaving only a loud ringing in her ears. The smoke seemed to take forever to clear. When it did, there was no sign of Silas, but Keyleth lay limp against the corridor wall.

Cassandra rushed to the Half-Elf, and tried speaking to her, but couldn't even hear herself. She patted the woman's cheek. Finally Keyleth stirred, and her lips moved. Unable to speak effectively, the noblewoman kissed the Ashari until she finally heard the sound of clanking metal behind her.

Turning, she saw a pair of strangers. There was a Gnome woman dressed in shining armor, the symbol of the Goddess Sarenrae at her throat. Behind and mostly above her was a massive Goliath, who wore a steel ring about his throat and had a silver bindmark in the shape of a battle axe upon his bare chest.

The Gnome smiled down at her, "That was impressive, but I can promise you it wasn't enough to stop Silas Briarwood. Lucky for you we got here when we did. We've been tracking him for days, since he left Wildemount."

Cassandra gasped softly, "W-who are you?"

The small woman extended a hand, "I'm Pike Trickfoot, vampire hunter." The Goliath grinned broadly, hefting a huge axe over his muscular shoulder, "An' 'er buddy, Grog."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No one asked about Pike or Grog, but I couldn't leave them out. I've had their relationship planned from the beginning.


	16. The Fearless Vampire Killers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra, with the help of Pike and Grog, confronts Silas Briarwood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from the 1967 comedy movie from Roman Polanski.

Cassandra stood up and looked down at the Gnome, up to the Goliath, then back down to the Gnome. She blinked, "Vampire hunter? How did you get here?"

Pike grinned, "Like I said, we've been tracking Briarwood for weeks. We lost sight of his wife a while back, and heard that she'd been seen at this castle. You don't happen to know where she is, do you?"

The young noblewoman let out a soft sigh, "She's in my sister Vesper's room. And we should check on them. Silas is loose and he's been threatening my family."

The Gnome nodded, "Let's make another sweep. Is your friend, oh, your slave... Is she alright?"

Cassandra helped Keyleth to her feet. At the Half-Elf's nod, she smiled, "Seems so. Okay, I can take you to Lady Briarwood."

The four made their way up from the dungeon, Cassandra still clutching the spent thunder stick. Pike walked beside her, morning star in hand. Keyleth came next, followed by Grog.

The group made it to the long hallway that held the de Rolo children's bedrooms. Cassandra reached for the door, but Pike quietly held up a hand. She motioned to Grog, who took up his axe and readied himself beside the door.

The vampire hunter grasped the symbol of her Goddess, and nodded to Cassandra. The door opened slowly to reveal Vax'ildan, his sister, Vesper and Delilah. The twins still held the swords that Vesper had provided for them.

The Goliath brandished his axe, eyeing Pike, "Kill 'em?"

Cassandra shook her head quickly, "Please don't!" She looked to Pike, "These are my..."

"Slaves," the vampire hunter finished. "You have five bindmarked slaves. I've never heard of someone having two."

The Human blushed, "Seven."

Pike stepped forward, appearing not to have heard, "And this one is Delilah Briarwood. How is she... did you say seven?"

Cassandra nodded, "Yes. You've met Keyleth." She gestured to the redhead, then to the other Half-Elves, "Vex'ahlia and Vax'ildan used to belong to Delilah Briarwood." She pointed to the kneeling woman in question.

The cleric nodded, "And the other Human?"

"This is Vesper," the noblewoman said quietly.

Pike looked up at Cassandra questioningly, "But you said that Vesper was your sister. Didn't you?"

Cassandra nodded, "Yes. And the two that aren't here are my other sister Whitney and my mother Johanna. They were marked by Delilah, and she forced me to bind them. I seem to be able to activate any mark I touch."

"That's amazing. As is your collection here," Pike said as she walked up to Vesper, "This one would fetch a high price in the markets of Ank'Harel."

The noblewoman stepped forward and took her sister's hand, "She is not for sale. And Silas isn't here. He's already killed at least three people in this castle today. We need to check on my family."

The cleric nodded, "My apologies. Yes, I ran into some of your brothers, they're on the way down to the city with a few guards. We should check on your mother and sister. Grog, come with me."

She stepped into the hall, followed by a grinning Goliath. Cassandra turned to the others, "Vax and Vex, stay here and keep an eye on Delilah. If Silas comes, let him have her. Run away from him if you can. I don't want any of you hurt. Delilah, obey Vex'ahlia."

Lady Briarwood nodded, "As my Master commands."

The noblewoman looked to her sister and Keyleth, "You two follow me. We need to get Whitney and mother back here." The two women fell into step as Cassandra joined the others in the hallway. The Ashari echoed Delilah's words quietly.

The group of five stopped at the door to Whitney's room. Cassandra opened it cautiously, with Pike and Grog ready to spring into action. The room seemed empty at first, until the young woman peered into the shadows.

A figure was sprawled upon the floor, a vaguely feminine form. She could not tell if it was her sister or mother. As she raised her eyes, Cassandra spotted Silas, his steel breastplate glinted in a shaft of moonlight from the large window across from Whitney's bed.

The vampire had another woman clutched to his chest. Her face was toward Cassandra, but in the dim light, she could not tell who it was. Her head was tilted to the side, the clean, pale expanse of her neck exposed.

Vesper and Keyleth waited in the hall as Pike and Grog burst into the room. Dazzling light burst forth from the Gnome's shield, illuminating the scene. Cassandra could now see that Whitney lay still and unmoving on the floor and Johanna was held tightly in the vampire's mockery of an embrace.

The Goliath growled and gripped his axe tight in both hands. The cleric held her morningstar aloft. She called out, "Let the woman go and we can end this quickly, Silas."

Lord Briarwood laughed aloud, and he gripped Johanna all the more tightly, "No, I think not. Drop your weapons, take your lacky, and back out of the room. Do this now or she will join me in eternity." He shifted his head until his fanged mouth hovered above the woman's bared throat.

Cassandra looked to the Gnome and Goliath, "Do as he says, please! Lord Briarwood, we'll do whatever you want. Just please let her go."

Grog snarled, his eyes shifting to Pike, hands twisting on the haft of his axe. The Gnome frowned, and slowly released her grip, letting her weapon fall to the carpeted floor, "Grog, put the axe down." The Goliath immediately complied.

Silas nodded slowly, and his fingers tightened on Johanna's shoulders, "Good. Now leave the room, all of you."

Cassandra backed her way past the door, eyes on her mother. Johanna seemed unresponsive, her face an expressionless mask. The vampire hunters followed suit, their own faces grim.

After a few moments, Johanna stepped stiffly out into the hall. Vesper and Cassandra embraced the woman, who still looked vacantly ahead. She turned to face Pike and said, "Lord Briarwood wishes for his wife to be returned to him. If she is not standing alone outside the castle in one hour, Whitney will be the first to die."

Johanna blinked several times and collapsed with a loud gasp into Vesper's arms. Cassandra frowned, and promised, "We will get her back safe, I promise."

Pike placed a hand on Cassandra's arm, "I have a plan. But you probably aren't going to like it very much. Do you have more shots for that big noisemaker of yours?"

The young noblewoman nodded, "I do. I... where did I set it down?" She looked around quickly, and spotted the device by the door to Vesper's room.

The Gnome grinned wickedly, "Good. Are there any other assets that might make things easier for us?"

Cassandra pointed to Keyleth, "She can turn into a bear. Or a fly. Maybe more things."

Pike nodded, "That definitely qualifies. Okay, here's the plan."

~~~~~

Thirty minutes later, Cassandra stood on a balcony, clutching the loaded thunder stick in her hands. She wished Whitney had been available to fire it, but that was not the case.

The middle de Rolo daughter was outside, standing in the clutches of Silas Briarwood. She bore the same calm demeanor that her mother had while under the charming influence of the vampire.

A few moments later, Cassandra could hear the front doors open below her. Pike walked out, leading Delilah by the wrist. The Gnome called out, "Alright, Silas. Here she is. Let the girl go."

The vampire shouted, "Send her to me, and I will release the girl." Pike nodded, and Delilah strode slowly down the stairs toward the waiting Lord Briarwood. As the woman approached, Silas released his grip on Whitney.

Cassandra took a breath, and pulled the trigger. The flint and steel sparked, igniting the fuse. She shouted, "Whitney, get down!"

As the girl threw herself to the ground, Delilah spun to the left, staying out of the vampire's reach. Pike and Grog raced forward.

A glowing steel ball rocketed forth from the barrel of the thunder stick. Cassandra was blinded by a cloud of thick smoke. She could not see if the blessed projectile struck the target or not.

She heard screams and shouts. At one point Pike yelled, "Get his breastplate off!" Coughing, the young noblewoman waved her arms in a futile attempt to clear the smoke.

She dropped the empty contraption and raced down the stairs. As she arrived at the front door, she could now see Delilah standing off to one side beside Whitney. Grog was down on one knee, holding a hand to his side. Pike was bent over the supine form of Silas, holding a huge wooden stake which was thrust into his chest.

Cassandra ran to check on Whitney. She hugged her sister tightly, and smiled, "You're alright. Mother is safe, she's with Vesper and the twins. Go inside." Her older sister headed up into the castle immediately.

Delilah ducked her eyes, "I hope I did as you wished, Master." The younger woman grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close, "You were perfect." She closed her eyes and kissed her firmly on the lips.

Pike walked over, and gently cleared her throat, "The plan worked. Silas is dead. I need my hat back."

Lady Briarwood blushed and nodded. She reached up and was suddenly Keyleth, holding a misshapen hat. This was handed to Pike, who accepted it with a grin, "I'm glad you didn't have to turn into a bear. My little hat of disguise did the trick."

Cassandra nodded, "So am I. You could have been killed." She looked to the Gnome, "Speaking of which, is your slave alright?"

Pike laughed loudly, "That big oaf? It will take a lot more than one sword blow to take my buddy out. Isn't that right, Grog?"

The Goliath came over, wiping his bloodied hand on a different part of his chest, "Right, Pike. We done?"

Nodding, the cleric smiled and held a hand out to the noblewoman, "We're done here. It's been a pleasure, Lady Cassandra. If you're ever in Emon, look me up."

Cassandra smiled as they shook hands, "I'll be sure to do that. Safe travels, Pike Trickfoot."

The Gnome and Goliath gathered their things and headed down the path toward the village. Keyleth let out a soft sigh as she watched them go, "Is it finally safe, Master?"

The noblewoman smiled, "I believe it is. Though you and I do need to talk. Something about a certain slave telling her Master what to do."

The Ashari gasped and fell to her knees on the cool stone. "M-master! This slave humbly begs forgiveness. I was selfish, and only wanted to protect you."

Cassandra nodded slowly, "I see. Well, it is late, and I know we're all tired. It's time for sleep. Go get in my bed."

Keyleth rose and walked quickly into the mansion. The noblewoman sighed and followed her. She mumbled to herself, "I hope it's safe. I get to tell Delilah that her husband is dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe we can have another happy chapter after this? As always, comments, criticism, and prompts are welcome.


	17. Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra talks with Keyleth, then with Vesper and Vex'ahlia. There are ramifications.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly longer than normal, but a bit calmer after dealing with the Briarwoods.

Cassandra rolled over and looked at the sleeping Half-Elf that lay beside her. Soft red hair covered half the woman's face, but could not hide her beauty. The young noblewoman reached out a finger to gently brush some of that hair aside.

Through some unusual set of circumstances, Keyleth belonged to her. She had never considered owning a slave before. Some of the lesser nobles have in the city had some, but it had never crossed Cassandra's mind.

Then, on the evening of her twentieth birthday, this amazing person had been offered to her. As a gift. Hers. Forever, especially once she had activated the slavebond.

Things had gotten crazy fairly quickly after that. But having the beautiful Ashari girl in her life made everything worth it. Even if she had wound up with two more slaves. Or six more, depending on how one chose to count.

Her fingers lightly curled a lock of the Half-Elf's hair as she considered. Besides Keyleth, the twins Vex'ahlia and Vax'ildan definitely counted as slaves, even if they had come to her in even more unusual circumstances. Their previous owner, who had tried to control all of them, was now very much a slave as well, though no one really trusted Delilah Briarwood.

Her oldest sister, Vesper, could also be counted as a slave. It had been a matter of convenience, but the older woman was now quite content to serve. It seemed that her sister Whitney felt more or less the same way. The same, however, could not be said for her mother Johanna.

Cassandra sighed at the thought. There was no getting out of it. Her mother was bindmarked. She had to receive orders from the activator of the mark fairly often, or eventually suffer agonizing pain. Neither of them wanted that to happen, of course.

The magical nature of the mark made obeying such orders feel pleasurable. Even that was stressful when it came to the relationship of mother and daughter. Cassandra sighed quietly, still playing with Keyleth's hair.

Slowly, the Half-Elf's eyes opened. She smiled softly, "Good morning, Master."

Cassandra smiled back, "Good morning, Keyleth. I'm glad you slept well. I kept having nightmares where I lost you and Whitney."

The Ashari frowned and sat up, "I am sorry, Master. If there's one thing I can't protect you from, it's dreams."

The Human smiled, "You do protect me, though. I certainly wasn't expecting you to turn yourself into a bear. What else can you do that will surprise me? Besides giving me orders, of course."

Keyleth's eyes widened, and a blush blossomed across her cheeks. She ducked her head, "Th-that should never have happened. All I wanted was to keep you safe. You are too prone to throw yourself in harm's way to protect your slaves, Master."

"You are all my responsibility. Delilah may have caused the others, even herself, to become mine, but you are. I won't let anything bad happen to you," Cassandra said solemnly.

Keyleth squirmed, "But you're more important. You're the most important, Master." She slipped out of the bed, and sank to her knees, "A slave is property. Her life means nothing. Master is everything."

The noblewoman shook her head, "I don't know where you've learned such things, but they no longer apply. You are my family. You and the twins, even Delilah. As much as my sisters and mother. Do you understand?"

"You are Master," Keyleth said quietly. "Master commands, slave obeys. I am your slave. I have been a slave since I was a small child. I know the rules, I have lived them. I..." She sobbed softly, and covered her face with her hands.

Cassandra wrapped her arms around the Half-Elf, "Well I don't know the rules. And if I'm making you uncomfortable or frightened, I want to fix that. Look at me."

The Ashari lifted her green eyes to meet Cassandra's pale blue ones. The noblewoman offered a gentle smile, "I want more for you than life as a slave. I love you. But if it's what you need, I want to be a good Master for you. You mean the world to me."

Keyleth softly whispered, "You _are_ the world to me, Master."

The brunette blushed, and she looked away, "I didn't realize that was how you felt, Keyleth. Is...is it the mark? Do the others feel that way too?"

With a sigh, the redhead shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe that's part of it. It seems to connect to your heart. I don't know." She sighed and dropped her eyes, "They are all of higher station, Master. And so much prettier."

Cassandra laughed softly, "No one is prettier than you, Keyleth. But I won't force you to be in love with me. And I won't force myself upon you."

The young noblewoman blinked and looked up, "What if you were free? I can do that, can't I? You don't have to be a slave, even with the mark."

Keyleth gasped, "Y-you don't want me anymore? I didn't mean it, Master. I... I'll do as you wish. I love you. I do. Please don't send me away."

Cassandra shook her head quickly, "No, that's not..." She sighed and took Keyleth's hands in her own, "Just forget we had this whole conversation."

The Ashari blinked once, then again. She tilted her head in apparent confusion, "Good morning, Master. Did you pull me up? How may I serve you?"

The Human's face paled, "Oh, I didn't mean to..." She nodded, "Yes, we've both been sleeping too long. We need breakfast, and to make sure everyone is alright after the vampire hunters dealt with Lord Briarwood."

The Half-Elf smiled, "Of course, Master. I'll go get your breakfast." She slipped out of the bed once Cassandra released her hands.

The young noblewoman watched Keyleth leave the room, and she let out a deep sigh, "Well, I will not try that again soon."

~~~~~

After eating, Cassandra sat down in Vesper's room. Her sister and Vex'ahlia sat with her at the small table. Keyleth was taking Vax'ildan on a tour of the castle grounds.

The young noblewoman leaned forward, "What would you two say if I said you didn't have to be my slave anymore?" Her eyes flicked from one face to the other with a nervous curiosity.

The two women looked at one another, then back to Cassandra. Both started to speak, and Vex'ahlia deferred to Vesper.

The oldest de Rolo sibling folded her hands together, and looked down at the tabletop, "Did we do something wrong, Mistress? Displease you in some way?"

The Half-Elf bit her lip for a moment, then blurted, "Did you want is to stop sleeping together?"

Cassandra waved her hands, "No, it's nothing like that. You haven't done anything wrong. And it's fine that you're lovers. I just thought you might like to be free. Vesper, you were never really a slave, and Vex was given to me under unusual circumstances. It would be a simple matter to free you legally."

Vex'ahlia slipped from her chair and knelt down beside Cassandra, "Mistress, I have never been happier than to be yours. My life before was harsh. My brother and I were not wanted by our father, and our mother was killed when the Dragons attacked. We lived as criminals until we were caught and sold to Delilah. Then you did free us. Truly. Please don't take that away."

The young woman reached down and gently caressed the Half-Elf's cheek, "I'm not going to send you away. Just let you take that silly ring off. You're my sister's girlfriend, and apparently it's wrong for a de Rolo to have a slave as a girlfriend." She sighed softly.

Vesper joined the former thief on the floor, "Even if the de Rolo is a slave herself? Because that is what I am. The papers are drawn up, all you need to do is sign. I am of age, so we do not need Father's permission."

Cassandra looked down into her sister's eyes, "Is that what you really want? Or is it the mark making you feel that way?"

The older woman pursed her lips as she considered, "Does it matter? The mark is permanent. I am yours, and will serve you forever, whether you sign the papers or not. This is what I choose, and I surrender all other choosing to you, Mistress. If you wish to make me fall in love with you again, even that is yours to decide."

The young brunette and Vex'ahlia both gasped at this last statement. Cassandra blushed, and the Half-Elf looked between the sisters, "That's a thing you can do? Mistress?"

Nodding, the noblewoman sighed, "Yes, I discovered that by accident when I was talking with Vesper. Apparently the mark can let me order you to feel differently. And it also apparently makes you want to be my slave, even if you didn't start out wanting that. Delilah... Even Mother will feel that way soon, I imagine."

Vex'ahlia nodded, "Do it to me. I'll be an even better slave if I was in love with you. I already love you, but I wouldn't say I was in love with you. Does that make sense?"

Cassandra blinked, "I... Why do you want to be a better slave. You're just fine as you are, honestly."

The Half-Elf smiled sadly, "If I'm a better slave, you won't want to get rid of me. And you'll keep taking care of my brother."

The noblewoman's fingers gently stroked the other woman's cheek, "The only thing I want for all of you is happiness. I could make you both forget this whole conversation, but I don't want to do that." She glanced to her sister, "What would you think if I made her fall in love with me?"

Vesper smiled softly, "Mistress, she is yours. So am I. We belong to you, body, mind, and heart. I know that it would make her very happy. Completely happy." She looked up into her sister's eyes, "I know that's how I felt."

Cassandra let out a soft sigh, "I wouldn't be some sort of monster, manipulating your emotions like that? It just seems so cruel."

Vex'ahlia nuzzled her cheek lightly into the soft palm that rested there, "Would you abuse me, Mistress? Harm me in any way?"

For two full heartbeats, Cassandra froze, half afraid that the question was a request for her to hurt the Half-Elf. She blinked, "No. Never."

The former thief smiled, "Then how could it be cruel. I am lucky enough to be yours. You have it in your power to make me completely yours, and completely happy. Wouldn't it be cruel not to do that?"

The young woman hesitated, "You wouldn't be jealous, Ves? And I'm already in love with Keyleth, not that she'll return the feeling."

Vesper smiled, "First of all, my feelings are irrelevant. We are your property. But, if it helps, I will not be jealous. Except that you're not making me fall in love with you, too. But I understand."

Cassandra took a deep breath, and looked down into the Half-Elf's dark eyes, "Alright. Fall in love with me."

The change in Vex'ahlia's eyes was as immediate as it was deep. She stared up into pale blue eyes, and her jaw dropped, "Oh, Mistress..." She climbed up and sat in Cassandra's lap, wrapping her arms around the woman's shoulders. Their lips met just as Keyleth and Vax'ildan returned to the room.

Cassandra heard the gasp, and looked to the open door, still with a lapful of Half-Elf. She tried to call out as the Ashari turned and walked away, but Vex'ahlia was still passionately kissing her. She eventually got the girl to break the kiss.

Catching her breath, the noblewoman pointed to the floor, "Get down."

The former thief slipped back to her knees and licked her lips, "Of course, Mistress."

Cassandra hopped up and rushed past a stunned Vax'ildan. Keyleth was already out of sight. With a heavy sigh, the brunette stepped forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter, Cassandra learns how to juggle. Or she should at any rate.


	18. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra makes some decisions on what to do about her situation. Also, Keyleth receives a gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must have rewritten this chapter a dozen times. I think I'm finally satisfied with it.

Cassandra rushed down the hall, calling out as she headed to her room, "Keyleth! It's not what you think. Come here!"

Just before she reached her door, the Ashari stepped out. She was blushing from head to toe, it seemed. She swallowed audibly, and sank to her knees in front of the noblewoman, "As my Master commands."

The Human bent down and hugged the Half-Elf, "What you just saw, with Vex'ahlia, it wasn't what you think."

Keyleth kept her eyes down, remaining stiff in Cassandra's embrace, "We are both yours, Master. What you choose to do with your property is not for a slave to concern herself with. I humbly apologize for my behavior."

Cassandra sighed softly as she straightened, "I should be apologizing to you. I offer to release you from your service, then you see me kissing Vex. I'm sorry."

The redhead gasped softly, "R-release me? Master, did I do something wrong?"

Pinching the bridge of her nose, the noblewoman sighed again, "I forgot. You wouldn't remember that conversation. It's not important. I am not releasing you. I love you, and I just want all of you to be happy. Especially you."

The Half-Elf nodded slowly, looking uncertain, "I am glad that Vex'ahlia can make you happy, Master. Shall I start sleeping in Lady Vesper's room?"

The brunette blinked, "What? Why would you do that?"

Keyleth straightened a bit, remaining on her knees, "Because Master has chosen to take Vex'ahlia into her bed. I would only be in the way."

Cassandra tilted her head, "No, Keyleth, I was just trying to make her happy, but I don't... She sleeps with Vesper. I want you to sleep with me." Her eyes widened, "I mean in my bed. In my room. I mean..."

The noblewoman clenched her right hand into a fist, "Why is this so difficult? You are my slave. I could just order you to bed, couldn't I? You couldn't even refuse me. Keyleth, stand up."

The Ashari rose slowly to her feet, "As my Master commands."

The brunette took the Half-Elf's hand, "Come with me." She led the girl back into Vesper's bedroom. She looked to her sister, "Go get Mother, Whitney, and Delilah. Bring them here."

Vesper curtsied with a grin, "Of course, Mistress." She stepped out of the room, leaving Cassandra with three confused Half-Elves.

The noblewoman smiled gently, "Don't worry. I'm going to explain everything. I just don't want to have to repeat myself."

The twins shared a look. Vex'ahlia said, "I am not worried, Mistress." Her brother silently nodded his agreement.

It wasn't long before Vesper returned with the three other Human bindmarked women. Cassandra gestured to the open expanse of floor before her, "Everyone but Keyleth kneel there." The Ashari opened her mouth to protest, but the brunette raised a finger, "Hush. Stand beside me."

Six figures settled on their knees before the two women. The Ashari blushed, but did as she was told. Cassandra smiled warmly, "Okay, good. I know you all don't have a choice when it comes to obeying me. And I'm truly sorry about that. It isn't fair, but the only way to free you is with my death. And I'm not ready for that."

The noblewoman began to pace slowly back and forth in front of the kneeling figures, "To make matters simple, I am going to refer to all of you, no matter your original station or relationship to me, as slaves."

Johanna bristled, and started to get back to her feet, "That includes you, Mother. Kneel." The woman sank back to her knees, further attempts at protest blocked as a wave of pleasure moved through her mind. Cassandra nodded, "Thank you."

"Most of you are now beginning to accept and even desire such treatment. It is probably already starting to happen for you, Delilah," the young noblewoman said. Lady Briarwood nodded slowly.

Cassandra continued, "This appears to be a natural side effect of the mark. I have no intention of being cruel or abusive to you. But I am responsible for all seven of you now. And that can be a lot to handle. So we are going to work on making sure that everyone is safe and happy. For starters, you are all to obey Keyleth."

The redhead blinked softly, "Master?"

The noblewoman nodded slowly, "Yes, Keyleth? Did you have a question?"

Blushing, the Ashari glanced at the kneeling people arrayed before her, "Why?" She squeaked softly and ducked her head, "N-not that I would question you, Master."

"It is a fair question," Cassandra stated. "And the answer is simple. Because I love you, and I cannot grant you your freedom. What I can do is put you just slightly above the others. You're all still mine, but these, even the noble-born ones, are yours as well."

Keyleth struggled to prevent a protest from passing her lips. Finally, she simply could not stop herself, "But I am your slave, Master. I cannot have slaves. I cannot have anything. I... They..."

"Keyleth, hush. I am the Master. What I say is the rule, isn't it?" The Ashari nodded meekly, "Very well. Then I am giving you the obedience of all my slaves. I have only stated it, not given it as a command yet. Are you too uncomfortable with this?"

The Ashari nodded very quickly, and Cassandra smiled, "I can understand that. Very well. You may choose one, and she...or he, I suppose, will be your personal servant. In fact, Keyleth..."

The redheaded Half-Elf looked incredibly nervous, until Cassandra lowered her voice half an octave as she said, "Choose one of these people to be your personal servant." The Ashari straightened, and her finger thrust out, pointing out and down toward one of the kneeling, bindmarked people.

Cassandra nodded and smiled, "Very well. Whitney, come here." The middle de Rolo sister rose and walked up to join the two standing women. "Whitney, obey Keyleth. Serve her every need and whim. You are still mine, but you are also hers."

A soft blush crept over the woman's face as she nodded, "Yes, Cassandra." She turned to face the Half-Elf, "I've never served anyone before. Should I call you Mistress? Or Master?" Her eyes darted back to her younger sister, "And what should I call you? This is strange, but it feels good."

Keyleth's face and neck were crimson as she looked down, "I don't know, Lady Whitney. I have never had a servant before. Master, what do we do?"

Cassandra laughed softly, "That is entirely up to you, dear. She is yours now." She reached over and loosened Whitney's hair from it's bun, letting the sandy brown locks spill down over her shoulders, "But I don't think you should call her Lady Whitney anymore."

Whitney swallowed softly, looking from one face to the other. "M-may I make a suggestion? I can't believe how nervous I am."

The young noblewoman smiled and folded her arms, "Well, Keyleth? Is your servant allowed to speak? Should we have her change into a simpler dress? Or a collar?"

The Ashari gasped softly, "But, Master, she is your sister, and a Lady...so far above me in station, I..."

Cassandra pursed her lips, "Keyleth, you are mine. She is yours. That puts you above her. Whitney, tell us who you belong to?"

The other woman said, "You and Keyleth." She shivered softly, and let out a small moan of pleasure.

Keyleth licked her lips nervously, "I... I think that you should call Master, well, Master. And you should call me..." She wrung her hands and looked at Cassandra, "This is hard."

The noblewoman nodded, "It certainly is. Whitney, address me as Master, and Keyleth as Ma'am. Go change into your simplest dress and wait for us in...my room. You will be sleeping there from now on unless Keyleth or I dismiss you."

A blissful smile crept across the older woman's features and she walked out of the room, "Yes, Master."

Cassandra turned to the others, "Vax and Vex, you two tidy this room. Vesper, when Whitney is finished, clean her room. Mother, you and Delilah clean the sitting room and conservatory."

The others rose to carry out their instructions, leaving the Ashari and young noblewoman alone. Keyleth fell to her knees, "I do not deserve..."

The Human touched a fingertip to the Half-Elf's lips, "Hush. You deserve much more and I wish I could give it to you. Whitney is yours now, but I promise I will help you. She's still bound to me, after all."

"Now then, shall we see if your new servant is ready for, Ma'am?" 

~~~~~

A short time later, Cassandra and Keyleth found Whitney kneeling near the bundle of blankets that served as the Half-Elf's bed. She was wearing a simple grey dress, and was barefoot, just as Keyleth usually was when inside the castle. As the two entered, she bowed deeply, "Master, Ma'am, how may I serve?"

The Ashari looked to her owner, "Master, what do I do?"

With a laugh, Cassandra shrugged, "Whatever you like. What do I do?"

Keyleth considered for a long, quiet moment. Finally, she walked up to Whitney and asked her in a quiet voice, "Lady... Whitney, do you want to be my slave?"

The new servant blinked slightly, "I don't understand, Ma'am. I am your slave. I serve you."

The Half-Elf nodded slowly, "Master has declared it, so it is the truth. But is it what you want?"

"Obeying her means that I have to obey you. And I want to obey her. Not just have to, want to," Whitney stated. "And it would be my pleasure to serve you, Ma'am. I know what you mean to our Master, even if you haven't figured it out yet."

The Ashari bit her lip, "What do you mean?"

The sandy-haired woman smiled nervously, "I don't know if I should say it. I'm a slave now."

Keyleth narrowed her eyes as she thought about that. Lady Whitney was her slave now, as strange as that still seemed. She smiled softly, "Tell me."

Whitney blurted out, "She's in love with you." She gasped, and lifted a hand to her mouth, "Oh, that was just like obeying Master."

Cassandra nodded, "If she commands you, you are obeying me, because I told you to obey her. And yes, Keyleth, I am in love with you."

The Half-Elf blushed brightly, "Is that why you let me have Lady... I mean Whitney?"

The noblewoman smiled, "I suppose so. But also because you've been so good to me. I adore you."

Whitney smiled gently, "And you love Master too, don't you, Ma'am?"

Nodding softly, the Ashari closed her eyes, "I do, b-but that isn't... I mean I'm not supposed..." She swallowed and clenched her hand into a fist. Her eyes opened, and she raised them to look directly at Cassandra.

"Master? Am I allowed to be in love with you?"

The noblewoman smiled brightly and opened her arms, "Of course you are. You never have to ask that." Keyleth rushed forward, and the two simply held on to one another, pressing close. Their lips met, eyes drifting closed as they let the expression of their emotions wash over them.

After a few minutes, Whitney gently cleared her throat, "Did you two want me to stay?"

Cassandra broke from the kiss, and grinned at her sister, "I will leave that up to your owner." Both Keyleth and Whitney blushed at this. The Ashari slipped out of the noblewoman' embrace and knelt down in front beside her new servant.

"We are both yours, Master," she said. "Whitney might be my servant, but now that you've claimed all of us, she is also my sister."

The sister in question leaned over and hugged Keyleth, "I like the sound of that. I'll take care of you, and we can take care of Master together."

The Half-Elf nodded, "That is a very good idea." She hugged Whitney back tightly, "But who is going to take care of you?"

Whitney shrugged, "I am just a lowly slave now, and will have to fend for myself." She rubbed the mark on her forehead, "Unless you're willing to look after me, Ma'am. My cruel and heartless Master may decide to sell me or abandon me."

Cassandra tossed a pillow at her sister, "Go help Vesper."

The servant curtsied, "Of course, Master." On her way out of the room she winked at Keyleth, "See?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow we may have gotten to happiness. We'll have to see what progresses from here.


	19. Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra gains a new understanding of the mark's effect through the eyes of Vesper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a departure. I wanted to explore a bit of how the mark works, and the point of view of someone affected by it.

_My name is Vesper Johanna Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo, and I am a slave. I am lucky enough to be owned by my youngest sister Cassandra. A magical mark placed upon my arm against my will binds me to her for all time._

I am writing this because she commanded me to relate what it is like to be her slave. More specifically, she commanded that I relay what it is like to obey a command from her. She first attempted to have Keyleth communicate the idea, but the poor Half-Elf still had trouble reading.

I could simply state that complying with a command from my Mistress feels good. That is certainly true, but it is completely insufficient. The moment that Cassandra issues an order, no matter how politely, no matter how simple, everything changes.

The command to write this down is a perfect example. She came into my room and made some small talk, which is always pleasant. But as soon as she began speaking, my ears perked up, my brain began to tingle.

Those of us who are bound to her, seven altogether now, find ourselves waiting, wanting, **craving** to be told what to do. By her. Anything. There is nothing we will not do for her. Not that we have a choice.

The moment that she finally chose to give me the command, the words rang in my mind like the tone of a bell. They are still there as I write this. "Vesper, write down what it's like to receive a command from me."

I think I responded, something along the lines of, "As my Mistress commands." But I was already beginning to search for the quill and paper. There is no refusing an order from the Mistress. I cannot even try.

I believe this is what Mistress most wants to understand. The moment that I receive an order, it becomes my only truth. I must carry it out. As soon as I begin to do so, the very act becomes life's greatest pleasure. Serving my Mistress' desire, no matter what it might be, is my very purpose once that desire has been revealed through her command.

I have not discussed with the others what they feel, but I would imagine that it is similar. The only command that was different was the moment that she accidentally ordered me to fall in love with her. That was the most intense emotion I have ever felt. I can honestly say that before that I did not know what love was.

The mark does not feel like the source of the feelings, or the requirement to obey. It does seem to be the source of the pain that comes when Mistress Cassandra does not issue a command for a particularly long time. I can only imagine that must feel worse for the poor slaves whose mark is on their forehead.

Cassandra attempts to prevent that, by giving us simple commands nearly every day. That is more than suitable to me. I belong to her now, and I believe I would serve her willingly and faithfully even without her mark.

~~~~~

Cassandra lifted her head from the page and she looked up at her sister, "Is that really what it's like? You're always waiting for commands, and whatever I say takes over your mind like that?"

Vesper nodded slowly, "Oh, yes, Mistress. I live to serve you, always. But when you actually give me an order, that is the most important thing there is."

The young noblewoman sighed, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I..."

The older sister blinked, "Mistress? There is nothing to be sorry about. You give my life it's ultimate purpose. Even if it changes."

Cassandra frowned, "I don't deserve that, no one does. To have that sort of power over seven people..." She shivered slightly, "Delilah might have wanted to control our family that way, but it seems wrong to me."

Vesper settled on to her knees. She looked up into her youngest sister's eyes, "I cannot speak for the others, but I am yours. Delilah may have put the mark on me, but you claimed it. Claimed me. I choose to be yours. I want to be."

The younger brunette sighed deeply. She reached out and lightly caressed the other woman's cheek, "I don't deserve any of you. That devotion, the absolute faith you have in me. I can't break that trust. But I'm only human."

The kneeling woman nuzzled into the gentle touch, and shook her head, "No, Mistress. You deserve so much more than I have to give. I'm glad that there are others who can serve you better than I can. Vex'ahlia..."

Cassandra tilted her head curiously, "What about her?"

"If she feels what I felt, in the moment I was in love with you," Vesper said quietly. "She will worship you. She exists for you now, and you alone. She wants to move in with you and Keyleth and Whitney."

The young noblewoman's face darkened, "She does? I...should probably get a bigger room."

The older woman sat up a bit on her knees, "Take mine. It's already yours, Mistress. Everything of mine is yours."

Cassandra looked down into the dark eyes of her sister. She thought back to her childhood, not so long ago. This woman had been her tormentor more often than her friend. But now, the woman was her... Was just hers.

She inhaled heavily, and shook her head, "You have feelings for Vex, and she does for you, too. I not going to kick you out of your own room and take her away from you."

"Mistress we both..." Vesper began.

"Belong to me. I know," Cassandra said. "But I'm not a monster. You would sleep in the dungeon if I told you too. And you're only sleeping with Vex'ahlia because I..." Her eyes widened.

"Vesper," Cassandra asked, "were you interested at all in sleeping with women before I made you sleep with Vex'ahlia?"

Her older sister blinked once, and she shook her head, "I had never even thought about it, Mistress. Since becoming yours, there are only two people I want to sleep with, both women."

The young noblewoman nodded, "I see. Vex and..." She blinked, "Keyleth? I know you were interested in her when she arrived."

Vesper laughed softly and shook her head, "No, Mistress. Not Keyleth. If you haven't guessed, then I'll just keep the secret. You would probably be uncomfortable with it anyway."

Cassandra blushed crimson. "Oh, oh, I didn't... You shouldn't... We can't... I couldn't..."

The older sister straightened, remaining on her knees, "Mistress, you're babbling. But don't worry. I am yours. If you want me, you only have to ask. If you don't, I will never mention it again."

The younger sister fanned herself with her right hand, "How can I...? But you have to do literally anything I say. And now I know that you would..." She frowned, "I won't be able to see you the same way."

Vesper squirmed slightly, "I've upset you. I never ever want to do that. I just...well, you should know that at this point I'm your slave first, and sister is a very distant second."

If possible, Cassandra's blush deepened, "Oh my. Thank you for your honesty. And for the report. I just wanted to know what it felt like. And now I know."

"I'm so sorry to have disappointed you, Mistress," Vesper said, crestfallen. She fidgeted a bit, "I wanted to let you know the truth."

The noblewoman nodded, "Thank you, truly. I'm not upset with you. I just didn't expect... I didn't know."

"Go back to your room. We'll figure out where to go from here soon." Vesper rose to her feet, and stepped quickly out of the room.

Cassandra looked down at the paper in her hand once again.

_My name is Vesper Johanna Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo, and I am a slave._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep dancing dangerously close to dubious consent incest. Let me know if that's something that's wanted or if we want to keep things strictly Cassandra/Keyleth. I really want to know! Thank you for reading!


	20. Signing the Contract

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra comes to a decision regarding her relationship with Vesper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the plunge. Everything changes from here. We will see where it goes.

Cassandra paced slowly back and forth in her room. She was alone for the moment. Keyleth and Whitney had gone into town to do some shopping, and the noblewoman had sent the twins and Delilah along as well. Mother was with Father, working on the day to day business of running Whitestone.

That just left Vesper. Cassandra felt her heart beat faster. Her breath caught in her throat. Was she really going to carry out her plan?

She had thought that if she was going to take one of her slaves as a lover it would have been Keyleth. Or Vex'ahlia. But her sister?

She continued to pace. _Forget that she's your sister. Would you want her that way if she was a stranger?_ She wrung her hands. Vesper was beautiful. If she had received a tall beautiful woman like that as a gift, or actually bought her at auction...

Maybe that was how to handle it. She could pretend that the woman was a newly-acquired slave. Purchased for the sole purpose of pleasuring her owner.

She stopped pacing and took a deep breath. It would have to be soon, or she would lose her nerve. Moving to the door, she opened it slowly, revealing her oldest sister standing in the hall.

Cassandra moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. She looked up into Vesper's dark eyes, "Ah, there you are at last. I wasn't sure how long it would take for you to arrive from the auction house. Come in."

Vesper blinked in confusion. But at her sister's order, she stepped into the room, "Mistress, I don't..." She closed her mouth when she spotted a paper laid out on Cassandra's desk.

It was the contract through which Vesper offered to sell herself into slavery. Her eyes widened, "Mistress, does this mean what I think it does?"

Cassandra smiled thinly, "It may. But I have to make sure that I'm satisfied with the goods that I am receiving. Get undressed."

Blushing, the older woman slipped her dress off over her head. She dropped the bundle of fabric to the floor, and kicked her slippers off onto the pile of silk and lace, "Yes, Mistress." She remained standing in her slip, and the undergarments beneath it.

"Everything off. Jewelry as well. I take it that you come from a noble family that fell on hard times, is that it? They must have needed to sell you to make ends meet just a little bit longer," Cassandra said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Vesper wriggled out of her slip and small clothes, dropping them onto the pile. She removed her earrings and the simple gold necklace that she wore and set them on the edge of the desk. Beside the contract, as yet unsigned by her youngest sister.

As the other woman finished undressing, Cassandra began to walk in a slow circle around her. Fingers caressed the side of her ribs, gently stroked the small of her back, "Is that what happened? Your family had no choice but to sell you?"

Blinking, Vesper shivered at the light touch. The question confused her, but she nodded slowly, "Yes, Mistress?"

The noblewoman nodded slowly, lifting one of Vesper's arms, manipulating her wrist before letting it fall, "I thought so. You didn't seem the type to have been born a slave. No prior owners, then?"

The tall brunette blushed, but shook her head, "No owners, Mistress. Except for you now, of course."

Cassandra smiled and nodded, "Have you had any training, then? I would hesitate to sign for a new slave, pretty as you are, who might be unprepared."

Vesper's eyes moved to the contract. Her fingers absently brushed the softly-glowing reddish-black bindmark on her arm, "I have had some training, Mistress. I promise that I will be the best slave for you."

The shorter woman moved back to her desk and sat down. Her fingers gently curled around the nib of her quill, "If I sign this, it is forever. There will be no going back."

The older woman nodded slowly, "I know, Mistress." She blushed, and fidgeted, her toe stroking over the fabric of the rug beneath her feet, "I have no say in the matter. I am a slave, yours to claim if you'll have me."

Cassandra paused, then dipped the quill into the waiting inkwell, "Vesper, if I do this, you will be my slave. My property. You'll give up all your rights, all your freedom. Is it really what you want to do?" She blushed a bit as she slipped out of the role she had been playing.

Vesper settled down onto her knees once again, "I am already yours. This just makes it official. Cassandra," she said, blushing, "Sign it. Please."

The pen scratched over the surface of the paper. Neat, flowing handwriting created the noblewoman's name. Just like that, it was done.

Cassandra sat back, looking over the page. She pursed her lips, and turned to the kneeling woman. She regarded the tall, slim brunette for a long moment. Finally, she asked, "What is your name?"

The woman blinked, "You know my... Oh. Oh, well, yes. Whatever you wish it to be, Mistress."

The noblewoman nodded, "Indeed. For now I may simply call you 'slave', for that is who and what you are."

Vesper swallowed, but nodded, "Yes, Mistress. As you wish."

Cassandra stood and moved behind her slave. Delicate fingers loosened the ornately-styled hair, letting it fall in loose waves down the woman's back. "You are beautiful," she said as her fingers slid through the soft tresses of deep brown. They moved down to caress the expanse of bare neck, "You will need a proper collar, to show that you are owned. Claimed. Mine."

Nostrils flaring, the slave jerked her head in a rough nod, "Y-yes, Mistress. I am yours."

The younger brunette slid her fingers out of the other woman's hair, "Get up on the bed. Lie on your back."

The slave moved hurriedly to comply, a smile curling her lips as she settled her body atop the thick comforter. She murmured gently, "Yes, Mistress."

Cassandra slowly undressed herself, draping her dress over the back of her desk chair. She wriggled out of her small clothes and joined her newest possession on the bed. She looked over the length of the slave's body, "All of this is mine."

Shivering softly, though she was not cold, the slave nodded, "Yes, Mistress. All yours." She lifted her head slightly and looked into her owner's blue eyes, "Did you want to make me fall..."

The noblewoman slowly slid a hand over the inner portion of the other woman's left thigh. She whispered, "Hush. You are my slave, and I am your Mistress. That is all that matters." Slowly she shifted forward and spread herself across the warm body beneath her. Her fingers slid up over the slave's sides, gentle, almost teasing.

Vesper closed her mouth and looked up into her owner's face. She nodded silently. She shivered again as soft fingers moved across her bare skin.

Cassandra closed her eyes as her lips found those of the woman beneath her. With a soft moan, she kissed, timidly at first, then more eagerly as she felt the other woman respond. Within moments, she found her tongue clashing with it's counterpart and in the warm confines of her willing slave's mouth.

Shifting slightly to the side, the noblewoman slipped one hand up to cradle the back of the taller brunette's neck. The fingers of the other hand moved up to close gently over the soft mound of her slave's right breast. She squeezed slightly, eliciting an impassioned moan.

The kiss lingered, growing warmer and deeper. Cassandra felt fingers dig into the flesh of her bare bottom, and she wriggled at the contact. Her hips ground in a slow circle, and she felt her warm center rub slickly against the thigh between her legs.

With a low growl, she arched her back, fingers digging roughly into the firm skin of the breast she clutched. She pulled back from the kiss and licked at her lips. Her eyes opened and she let out a gasp, freezing for a moment as she saw her sister there beneath her. Her face and neck slowly turned crimson as she blushed.

Vesper, still slowly rocking for a moment longer, slowed and opened her eyes, "Mistress? Is something wrong? Did I...? Oh." She shifted her weight, and slowly sat up, pulling her sister into a warm embrace, "It's alright, Mistress. I am yours."

Cassandra buried her face in Vesper's neck, hiding beneath her long, soft hair. She clung tightly to her older sister as tears welled up in her eyes, "Vesper?"

Gently rubbing the shorter woman's back, she nodded, "Yes, Mistress? I'm right here. Everything is alright."

After a moment, the younger woman lifted her head, "Is it alright? I'm trying to make love to my own sister. Who is also my slave. Legally." She reached up to smooth a few mussed strands of the woman's hair, "That's not normal."

Vesper smiled softly, "Normal? Perhaps not. But it's the truth. I am your slave. Now and always." She caressed her sister's cheek, "And I am yours in every way you want or need me to be. For lovemaking if that's what you wish. Or not."

She sighed softly, "I know it might seem difficult, but if you command it, I would forget that I am your sister. I can't do that for you, and I'm sorry that I can't."

Cassandra sighed gently, "I just wish I could make everyone happy."

Vesper tilted her head, "Mistress, you may not like this, but...stop it. You deserve to be happy. To have whatever you want. If it isn't me, then perhaps Keyleth or Vex'ahlia would be better. Or Whitney. Or Vax'ildan. But you have to put your desires first. We already do."

"You are the most important person in the world, Mistress. All we want to do is... Mmph!" She found herself cut off as suddenly Cassandra's lips covered her own once more.

After another eager kiss, the noblewoman pulled back, grinning, "I hear you. And thank you. I'm not that important, but having read what you wrote, I at least have some understanding of why you feel that way." She let out a sigh, "I don't want to forget that you're my sister. But we can pretend, at least at first. Until I get used to the idea of you being my loveslave."

Vesper blushed, ducking her head, "As you wish, Mistress."

Cassandra stroked her sister's cheek, "I do wish it. I just got lost in the moment and forgot myself. It's not that I don't want you. I just don't have a lot of experience with anyone."

Vesper smiled, "Well, Mistress, there's only one way to get experience..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully that was entertaining. Feel free to offer comments, critique, or prompts. Thank you!


	21. Long Overdue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keyleth talks with Vex'ahlia after waking in on Cassandra and Vesper. And then Cassandra and Keyleth have a discussion of their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long time, so this is a long chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

Cassandra let out a low moan as her back arched. The fingers of one hand clenched in her own hair, as those of the other gripped tightly in her lover's long dark tresses. The young noblewoman strived to think of the other woman as her lover, still struggling with the idea that it was her sister Vesper that was so expertly pleasuring her at the moment.

The oldest de Rolo daughter continued her work, face buried between her youngest sibling's thighs. For her part, Vesper was thoroughly enjoying herself. The bindmark upon her arm sent ripples of absolute joy through her mind as she complied with her sister's commands. Even the dull ache in her jaw was barely noticeable, so eager was she to bring her Mistress over the edge.

Cassandra squirmed, her breath catching in her throat. She was close. In just a few more moments she would...

Her eyes flashed open as she heard the soft sound of a throat clearing. She glanced to the door, and her face turned crimson as she saw Keyleth there. The Ashari settled to her knees, and glanced to the floor, "Master's lunch is ready. And Vex'ahlia wanted me to ask what might be keeping Lady Vesper."

The young noblewoman blinked, "Lunch? It can't be that late already. How long have we been... Vesper? Vesper, stop."

The older woman froze in place, her tongue still buried in the warm wet folds of her Mistress. She let out a questioning sound, and at the lack of a response, slowly pulled herself away, "As my Mistress commands."

Cassandra frowned, and slowly extricated herself from beneath her sister. She waved a hand, "Go make yourself presentable. I need to clean up and I'll be down for lunch shortly."

As Vesper left the room, Cassandra quickly dressed and moved a comb through her tousled hair. All the while, she felt Keyleth's silent presence. At last, she turned to the kneeling Half-Elf.

"That wasn't what it looked like. I mean, it was... But it was something that Vesper wanted," she said with another sigh.

The Ashari slowly lifted her head, "Vesper is your slave, Master. You may use your slaves for whatever purpose you wish."

The young noblewoman nodded slowly, "I thought you'd say something like that. You're not mad at me? Or Vesper? It wasn't that long ago that we kissed. That I told you I love you. Which I do."

Keyleth's gaze dropped to the floor once again, "It is not a slave's place to be upset with her Master. If Lady Vesper can please you, that is a good thing."

Cassandra shook her head, "You have every right to be mad at me. I'm mad at myself. I love you, and I want to be... well, whatever we can be with the mark linking us."

For a long moment, the Half-Elf remained thoughtfully silent. When she looked up at the noblewoman, she had a determined set to her jaw, "I have found you kissing Vex'ahlia, and with Lady Vesper between your legs. You say that you love me. You put me in charge of your slaves and give me Whitney as my own. I don't know what you want from me."

Reaching up, the Ashari lightly brushed the mark on her shoulder with her fingertips, "I am bound to you forever. Until recently, I thought that might have been true even without being your slave. Now I don't know."

Before Cassandra could reply, Keyleth rose to her feet, "Master's lunch is getting cold." With that, she turned and left the room. It was the first time the noblewoman could recall her leaving without specific orders or asking permission.

~~~~~

A few minutes later, Vex'ahlia walked into the kitchen, carrying the dishes that she and her brother had dirtied. She found Keyleth quietly sobbing in the corner. She slowly approached and squatted down in front of the redhead, "Hello, darling. Is there anything I can do to help you? I don't like the idea of you being sad."

The Ashari sniffled and shook her head, "It's n-nothing. You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine." 

Arching an eyebrow, Vex leaned back, "I know that technically you're in charge, but we have to stick together, you and I. You, my brother, and me...we are the only actual slaves here, by hook or by crook. I want you to be honest with me. Can you do that?"

Keyleth responded with a jerky nod, "Y-yes, Vex'ahlia." She wiped the tears from her cheeks and took a deep breath.

The dark-haired Half-Elf smiled and caressed the other woman's cheek, "Good. Then tell me, is this about Cassandra?" She smirked, "No, never mind. Everything is about Cassandra. Is it about her kissing me? That was my fault, not hers."

The Ashari shook her head slightly, "I'm not m-mad at you. It's just that Master... Why would she want me when she has Vesper, or you? Pretty, educated women who weren't always slaves. Who could satisfy her in so many ways. I can't compete with that."

Vex'ahlia blinked, and she sat down on the hard kitchen floor. She pulled the other woman into a tight embrace, "Vesper? Me? What are you on about, darling? Cassandra is crazy about you. Didn't she just tell you that she loved you, and put you in charge of all of us?"

"B-but, Master was just with L-lady Vesper. And they were... You know?" Keyleth dropped her eyes, cheeks turning pink.

The other Half-Elf's mouth opened in a small sound of surprise. She lifted the redhead's chin and met her eyes, "That's not a bad thing. I'm sure Cassandra was doing that to make Vesper happy. Just like when I was kissing her. That was me asking her to make me fall in love with her."

Long fingers stroked Keyleth's cheek, "It doesn't change how she feels about you. Even if she commanded Vesper to make love to her... And I'm not saying that's what happened. Either way, if she did, it's because she could never do that to you."

The Ashari burst into tears again, nodding roughly, "I kn-know. I'm not pretty enough or smart enough..."

The sound of Vex's throat clearing brought an end to Keyleth's sobbing words. A fingertip covered the redhead's lips, "Stop that. You are beautiful, strong, smart, talented, and so much more. Also, she will never order you to make love to her because she is in love with you. Don't you see that, darling?"

Keyleth's blush deepened.

Vex'ahlia slowly rose to her feet, "You need to let her know how you feel. That you're upset. That you love her too. Forget about the whole Master and slave business."

The Half-Elf let out a sigh, and touched the mark on her arm, "That's the one thing I can never do. I am hers. You know what that's like. I need to be hers. You feel that too."

The former thief nodded, "I do. But your heart is more important than any mark or contract. You deserve a chance to be happy. So..."

Keyleth blinked and tilted her head slightly in confusion as Vex paused. 

The dark-haired Half-Elf's face settled into a stern expression, "If you have to be a slave, so be it. Keyleth, I am ordering you to go tell Cassandra how you really feel. Now!"

The Ashari squeaked slightly, and got up on her feet, "As my..." She blinked again, "You are not my Master."

Vex'ahlia grinned, "No, but I am your friend. I care about you. So go."

Keyleth nodded, "As my friend commands."

~~~~~

Keyleth stepped quietly into the large bedroom that she shared with Cassandra and now Whitney as well. The older girl was there, tidying up the large bookshelves. She turned and offered a smile and a curtsy as she spotted the Half-Elf, "Hello, Ma'am."

Still not used to having a servant of her own, Keyleth blushed. She chewed on her lip nervously, "Hello, Lady... er, Whitney. Is Master not here?"

The sandy-haired Human smiled, "I don't think so, Ma'am, unless she's gotten much better at hiding. She was always terrible at that as a child. Too giggly."

The Ashari nodded, "I need to talk to her, but I usually don't..." Her blush returned as her voice trailed off.

Whitney walked up and wrapped the Half-Elf in a tight embrace, "You don't usually start a conversation. Especially with your Master. A slave shouldn't talk first."

Keyleth nodded, and leaned into the hug, "Exactly. I can't just go up to her and start talking. I'm her slave. Even if I..."

Whitney pulled back a bit, her hands on the redhead's shoulders, "Even if you love her? Oh, Ma'am, she would love to hear that from you."

"Vex'ahlia said I should tell her. Especially after finding her and Lady Vesper together," Keyleth sighed, "But I'm too nervous. Anxious. What if Master really would be happier with Vex or Lady Vesper."

The Human blinked, "Happier with...? I don't know what happened with Vesper, and maybe I don't want to. But I do know that Master is completely in love with you. She gave you her own sister as a present, put you in charge of everyone. Did Vesper do something to upset you?"

Keyleth nodded slightly and Whitney clenched a fist. The Human looked earnestly into the Ashari's green eyes, "Order me to hurt her and I'll do it. Maybe I'll do it anyway. No one gets to upset you, Ma'am. It's my job to take care of you."

The redhead shook her head quickly, "No! I don't want anyone getting hurt. I just... I wish it was easier. I want Master to be happy. I love her with all my heart. Even if I didn't belong to her, I would give myself to her. I wish I could tell her that."

A quiet voice came from the open doorway, "You just did." Keyleth turned and her whole face turned crimson as she saw Cassandra standing there. She sank to her knees, tears welling up in her eyes.

The young noblewoman spread her arms, "Come here, Keyleth." The Ashari rose again and rushed over to Cassandra. The two embraced, and just held one another for a long moment.

At long last, the two women started to speak at the same time. "I'm so sorry..." "I wanted to tell..."

Whitney smiled warmly, "Why don't I find something else to do? You two should talk."

Cassandra smiled, "That's up to Keyleth. You belong to her."

Both the Half-Elf and the Human blushed. The redhead smiled, "Thank you, Whitney. Go ahead." With another curtsy, the older woman slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Keyleth took a deep breath, "Master, I apologize. I am going to talk. You can stop me or whatever you wish. But I would like to speak."

Cassandra simply nodded, so the Ashari began, "It is not my place to be jealous. But I am. When I saw you with Vex'ahlia, then with Lady Vesper, I could not believe that you would ever truly want me. Skinny, awkward, naive little me. They are so beautiful and charming."

The young noblewoman opened her mouth, and Keyleth reached out to cover the woman's lips with one finger. She blushed fiercely, knowing that this was definitely behavior that a slave should be punished for. But she went on, "I know that you just want to make your slaves happy. All of us. And I know that I should not be jealous when you try to do so."

"I also know that a slave is not supposed to fall in love with her Master. But I have. I love you, I'm in love with you. I am forever bound to you. That cannot change. I don't want it to," Keyleth sighed and lowered her hand. She bowed her head and stood quietly, "I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit for my behavior, Master."

Cassandra tilted her head slightly, "Are you saying that you don't want me to be with Vex'ahlia or Vesper, in a romantic or sexual way? Answer the question honestly."

The Half-Elf squeaked and nodded, "Yes, Master. I know I don't have that right, or any rights at all, but I don't want that. Or, I mean, I do want that. But for me." She could feel her face burning with embarrassment. She dropped to the floor and presses her forehead to the carpet.

"Keyleth," the young noblewoman uttered in a lilting, sing-song voice, "Do you want me to be with you that way? Answer the question honestly."

The Ashari's head bobbed up and down in an eager nod, "Yes, Master. I know that I shouldn't want that. That I could never have that. But I do want it."

"I want it too. You, I mean, Keyleth. I can't release you from the mark, but that doesn't mean I don't want to..." She smiled gently, "Come here."

The Half-Elf stepped closer to the young noblewoman. The Human smiled brightly, and reached out to run her fingers through long locks of soft red hair, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, Keyleth of the Ashari."

The slavegirl opened her mouth to protest, but was silenced as a pair of lips met her own. Green eyes closed, and a low moan of pleasure rumbled in Keyleth's throat. She could feel arms sliding around her and pulling her into a tight embrace.

After too brief a time, Cassandra pulled back, "I love you, Keyleth. I can't free you, but there is something I can do." She let go of the redhead and slowly sank to her knees, bowing her head.

With a cry of alarm, Keyleth blushed deeply and dropped to the floor, trying to bring her head lower than Cassandra's.

The Human spoke in a soft voice, barely above a whisper, "I am at your service, Mistress. Command me and I shall obey. I belong only to you."

The Ashari flailed her arms for a moment, then dropped lower, her forehead touching the floor, "Master, if this is my punishment for speaking out of turn, please accept my apologies. I am so sorry. Please, Master..."

"Mistress, this is not a punishment. I belong to you. Now and always. We are bound together," Cassandra looked down at the prone form of the Ashari, "But I will not force you to accept this if you do not want it."

Keyleth slowly lifted her head, "Not a punishment? But... Master cannot belong to her slave. I have a hard enough time believing that Whitney is mine..." Her blush returned.

The young noblewoman smiled, "It's alright. And she is yours. But I won't complicate things further. I love you, and that's enough, I hope."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think this story is quite over yet. Still trying to get to that truly happy ending.


	22. Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra goes away for a bit. Keyleth has a talk with Delilah.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back! Life got extra fun n the way for a long time, but I do have more for this story. Sorry for the long wait, and for the short chapter.

Keyleth sat in the chair that Whitney pulled out for her. Moments later, Vax’ildan walked in from the kitchen, and set a plate of food before the Ashari. The redhead smiled, and the dark-haired Half-Elf offered a slight bow, “I hope everything is to your liking, Ma’am. I’m only sorry that Mistress Cassandra can’t join you this evening.”

”It is a shame, but she does have responsibilities as a noblewoman, especially since the other de Rolo women all have slavemarks.” She looked quickly to Whitney, who was blushing softly, “Not that a slavemark is bad. It’s just that...”

Smiling gently, Whitney shook her head, “It’s alright, Ma’am. I’ve gotten used to the mark, and I’m starting to get used to actually being a slave.” Her lips curled into a grin, “Besides, this way I get to be here with you instead of off with Father on some boring political mission.”

”What political mission?” Vex’ahlia set a glass of wine down in front of Keyleth, and reached to take a bite of potato from the plate.

The former thief pulled her hand back quickly as Whitney swatted it, giving her a glare, “You know, the political mission that will have Mistress away for a few days. Remember?”

Vex’ahlia nodded quickly, realization dawning on her face, “Right. Right. That mission. Of course.”

The Ashari blinked softly, and tilted her head in confusion. She shrugged, and started to eat as the Half-Elf twins slipped back into the kitchen. Whitney let out a gentle sigh.

~~~~~

It had been several months since Cassandra had offered herself to Keyleth. The relationship was still working itself out, often in unexpected ways. The young noblewoman smiled to herself as she thought of the redhead’s struggle to accept that she truly could have the Human woman as her own.

For her part, Cassandra had never been able to think of Keyleth as a slave, even if that was technically what the Ashari woman was. Within days the redhead was a friend, and it took only a short time longer to become something more than that. The mark, the gods-damned bindmark, made their relationship far more complicated than it had any right to be.

Which was precisely why the noblewoman was currently in Emon. Her father was indeed in the city for diplomatic relations, but he did not need his daughter for that. No, the youngest de Rolo was on her own, looking to visit someone who might be able to help her with her bindmark problem.

It took her some time to find the woman she sought. It turned out that she kept a home just outside the city proper, in a small stone keep. Eventually, Cassandra found the building, and went inside to speak with the owner.

~~~~~

In Whitestone, Keyleth sat on the edge of the bed she had begun to share with her Master. _With Cassandra_ , she thought. The Ashari shook her head slowly. That still didn’t feel right, even in her head.

Delilah came into the room and handed off a basket of folded laundry to Whitney. The former wizard walked slowly over and knelt beside the bed, looking up at the redhead silently. After a moment, the Half-Elf sighed, “You may speak if you wish, Delilah.”

The dark-haired woman purses her lips thoughtfully, and finally murmured, “Things feel... different when Master is away. I never had a chance to study the effects of distance on the mark until now. You feel it too, do you not? The bond is weaker. Still there, but thin. One could almost resist the effect, were one so inclined.”

Keyleth inhaled sharply. She glanced over to Whitney, who was occupied with putting the clothes away into Cassandra’s armoire. Her eyes returned to Delilah’s face, where there was a tight-lipped smile. 

The Ashari shook her head, “No. I do not feel that, Delilah. I belong completely to Master, just like always. And so do you.”

Shrugging her shoulders, the older woman rose to her feet. Her fingertips stroked the leather collar that circled her throat, “I’m not so certain, my dear. I am feeling a bit disobedient.”

Keyleth frowned, and she took a deep breath. She held it for a moment, then pointed to the floor, “Delilah, sit down.” She then chewed on her lower lip nervously as she watched to see what the woman would do.

For a moment, a heartbeat or three, nothing happened. The Human’s smile turned into a sneer. She started to laugh, then cut herself off as she sat down firmly. 

The Half-Elf let out a sigh of relief. She rubbed the back of her neck and thought for a moment, “You still belong to Master. Nothing is going to change that now, not even distance. The rest of us are happy to be hers. Even Johanna. I thought you were too.”

The Human lowered her head, shoulders shaking with a mix of laughter and sobs. “Happy? To be a slave? Cleaning, and cooking, and serving in a castle that should be mine?” She shook her head, then looked up at Keyleth, her eyes shining.

”The rest of you are slaves, born to serve, to obey. I studied for years to be a wizard. A damned good one. And now some simple girl controls me, and I cannot cast the simplest spell. Because _she_ said so.”

Slipping down from the bed, the Half-Elf looked into Delilah’s eyes, “You brought that on yourself. You tried to control Master and her family. She could have killed you. But she is better than all of us. She has been nothing but kind to you.”

Just then, Whitney walked over and knelt down beside the older Human, “The laundry is put away, Ma’am.” She glanced at the former wizard and let out a sigh, “Maybe Master can make her happy when she comes home.”

Keyleth nodded softly, “Maybe.”

~~~~~

On an airship winging across the sky toward Whitestone, Cassandra smiled gently at her traveling companions. The pair, one enormous, the other quite petite, smiled back. The smaller one, Pike Trickfoot, asked, “What are you most looking forward to after getting back home?”

The Gnome’s Goliath slave leaned forward, “Yeah, like s’prisin’ yer sisters, or that pretty redhead?” The bald barbarian nodded to the basket of gifts, each labeled for the seven slaves that waited back at the castle.

Cassandra nodded slowly, “Yes, Grog, that will be fun.” Her eyes slowly returned to Pike, “I’m just a bit nervous about the part where you two kill me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More to come. Including, perhaps, the death of Cassandra? Sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted to get something up. Thank you for reading this far!


	23. Giving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra returns from Emon, with gifts and a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. This chapter went through a number of rewrites.

Everyone was gathered in the conservatory, some of the women seated on the overstuffed sofa. Vax’ildan had taken his place in the large wingback chair near the fireplace. Delilah sat at the harpsichord, a bit apart from the rest. Whitney knelt on the floor in front of Keyleth, after making sure everyone was present.

Cassandra came into the room and smiled warmly at her assembled family. That’s who these seven people were. Some by blood, others by circumstance, but all bound to her. Pike and Grog stepped into the room as well, drawing a few nods of recognition.

Pausing to take a deep breath, Cassandra looked at all the assembled faces, “Everyone was good while I was away, yes? No problems?”

Keyleth smiled brightly, “Welcome home, Master. It is good to have you back. There were no problems, except...” The Ashari blushed and ducked her head a bit.

Cassandra lifted one eyebrow in curiosity. Whitney laughed softly, “Except that we all missed you, of course. Especially Keyleth.”

The redhead blushed, nodding, “Yes. That. You have never been gone for so long before, Master.”

With a warm smile, the young noblewoman crossed the room and pulled the Ashari into a tight embrace. Keyleth squeezed back hard. For a long, silent moment, the two just held one another as the others waited patiently nearby.

Before long, there was a loud cough, and everyone turned to look at Grog. The Goliath offered a sheepish smile and shrugged, “Sorry.”

Cassandra offered a smile to the massive barbarian, “That’s quite alright, Grog. Just fine. And it reminds me, I do have gifts for everyone.”

The young noblewoman retrieved a large basket that she had left in the hall. Several small packages, wrapped in patterned paper, were handed out to each of the assembled people. Most of those gathered blinked in confusion. Cassandra laughed softly, “Open your gifts.” The words, a spoken command, were quickly obeyed.

The twins, Vax’ildan and Vex’ahlia, each received an ornate leather belt. Both belts held a small sheath, which in turn contained a finely-crafted steel dagger. Vex blinked as she looked up, “But slaves aren’t allowed to carry weapons, Mistress.”

Delilah bore her own look of confusion as she unwrapped a beautiful dress of deep burgundy, with black lace trim and a high collar. She lifted her head to Cassandra, “It is not my place to speak, Master, but this is lovely. I did not believe that you would give me such a thing.”

Johanna and Whitney, Cassandra’s mother and sister, received lovely necklaces of braided silver and gold. They matched except that Whitney’s bore an onyx pendant, and Johanna’s was set with a pearl.

Vesper, Cassandra’s oldest sister, tore through the paper which covered her gift, and let out a gasp. Inside the small wooden box that she now held was a beautiful silver brush handle. She smiled brightly up at her sister, “I love it, Mistress!”

Finally, Keyleth removed the paper from her gift with great care. She let out a soft sigh as she revealed a leather-bound book. The cover was unadorned, so she opened it and read the title page aloud, “Among the Elements, A History of the Ashari. Oh, Master, I don’t... I can’t accept...”

Cassandra giggled, “I’m glad you like it.” After a moment, looking over each of the people before her, the young noblewoman took a deep breath, “I have one more gift for you. For all of you. I’m going to give you back your freedom.”

~~~~~

Johanna was the first to find her voice. This did not surprise Cassandra, though the words did, “No, we just got you back. We, well, I am just getting used to the idea of being yours, Mistress. You can’t give it up. Besides, we need to obey you.”

Whitney quietly took the older woman’s hand, “It’s not just that, Mother. She can’t just free us, not that simply. She means to remove the bindmarks. And the only way to do that...”

”...is for her to die,” Keyleth finished. The redhead hugged the book to her chest for a long moment, then shook her head, “No, Master. I know this is something you want, but our freedom isn’t worth your life. I can’t, none of us could let you give yourself up for us.”

Both Vesper and Vex’ahlia began to voice protests as well. Cassandra cleared her throat, “Everyone, be quiet.” The room grew silent, all eyes on the young noblewoman.

She composed herself, “The simple fact of the matter is that none of you deserve to be slaves. It isn’t right or fair. Vex’ahlia and Vax’ildan were forced into a lifetime of servitude for a bad decision or two. Even Delilah, well, alright, maybe you do deserve it, but it’s not my place to decide that. So I’ve decided to free you. All of you, as there is no other way.”

”I want all of you to wait here. Vex’ahlia and Vax’ildan, get your daggers ready, as Delilah might be up to her old tricks once she’s free.” The twins drew the knives, and shared a nod with one another.

That said, Cassandra hugged each of them in turn, starting with her sisters and mother, then the twins. She paused, but did finally embrace Delilah. After pulling back, she looked into the woman’s eyes and said, “Please be good.” For her part, the necromancer could only nod.

At last, Cassandra took Keyleth into her arms, kissing the Ashari firmly. The two women held one another in silence for a full minute or more. Finally, the Human pulled back and looked into the Half-Elf’s green eyes, “I love you. I’m sorry for everything I’ve put you through. My heart is yours, always.”

Unable to speak, due to Cassandra’s lingering command, Keyleth just looked back into her Master’s brown eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. The noblewoman wiped one away, and released the young woman, “Don’t cry,” she whispered.

The Ashari blinked, and murmured, “As my Master commands.” At that, Cassandra turned and left the room. Pike and Grog followed, leaving the seven bindmarked people together.

Keyleth sat down, and Whitney wrapped her arms around the redhead, squeezing her tightly, “I’m sorry, Ma’am.” Keyleth did not cry, but she collapsed into Whitney’s embrace, staring at the doorway that Cassandra had passed through.

~~~~~

What was at least several minutes, but seemed to be hours later, Vesper gasped softly as she looked at her mother’s forehead. Johanna blinked, and peered at the same location on Whitney, then at the Half-Elf twins. Where there had been tree-shaped bindmarks, there now were swirling, unbound marks. Delilah touched her throat, then pointed to Vesper’s arm. Swirling black marks moved there as well.

Whitney gently moved the fabric of Keyleth’s dress, expecting to see the same moving mark upon the Ashanti’s shoulder. The tree was, in fact, gone. In it’s place was a dark, shapeless, unmoving mark. Unlike those on the others, this tattoo-like image was perfectly still.

Suddenly, the Ashari began to sob, tears welling up in her eyes, flowing over her cheeks. She buried her face in Whitney’s shoulder, clinging tightly to the older woman.

Delilah walked slowly over to Keyleth, and she pursed her lips, “I know you have no reason to trust me, but if I might have a look at your mark, I could...”

The older woman’s head turned sharply as it was struck by Whitney’s hand. “Leave her alone. My sister, the love of her life, is dead. You’re free now, so just get out,” the sandy-haired woman said in a low whisper.

The necromancer bobbed her head in a slight bow, “As you wish, though you should know that Keyleth’s mark is different, older, stronger magic than mine. It hasn’t gone back to a default, inbound state like the rest of ours.”

Vex’ahlia stalked over and grabbed a handful of Delilah’s hair, yanking the woman away from Keyleth. “None of that is important right now. You haven’t tried anything underhanded yet, and that’s the only reason my brother and I haven’t killed you where you stand.”

”I’m only trying to help. And I truly doubt that Cassandra is dead, not with a cleric of the Dawnflower close at hand,” Delilah said smugly, holding her hands up and out. “Or at least she won’t be for long.”

Vex’ahlia gasped, “What? What do you mean?” She looked to the others, each of whom seemed equally confused.

Shrugging her shoulders, Delilah stretched as the Half-Elf released her tight grip, “That Gnome woman, she isn’t merely a Vampire hunter. She’s a holy woman, a healer. I imagine she’s here to revive dear Cassandra once the big one finishes her off, which he must have already done.”

Vesper stood up, and gently patted Vex’ahlia on the arm, “I certainly hope you’re right, Delilah, and that Mistress will be back with us soon. But what were you saying about Keyleth’s mark?”

With a smile, the necromancer gestured toward the Ashari, “Hers is one of the original marks, perhaps she was the child of someone important among the druids. She was only ever meant to have one true owner. The dragons wanted the Ashari bound this way so they had no choice but to serve. There was one called Raishan, who taught me, among others, how to cast the marks.”

Delilah stepped closer to the redhead, reaching toward the spot of darkness on the girl’s shoulder. Keyleth recoiled, leaning into Whitney. The necromancer lowered her hand, “Perhaps you were destined to belong to Raishan, but something happened, and Cassandra touched you first, and the power of that bond let her connect with any mark. I can’t be certain, of course.”

Vesper was about to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing. “Ahem,” a small voice sounded from the doorway, “You can come see her now.” Pike smiled warmly.


	24. Midnight Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vesper and Vex’ahlia decide to take matters into their own hands in the middle of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I definitely have a bit more inspiration for this story lately. Thank you for coming along on the ride so far.

Johanna and Keyleth followed the Gnome cleric into Cassandra’s room. The young woman was lying on her bed, eyes closed, hands gently folded over her chest. There was no sign of blood, though both women noticed bruises on the girl’s neck, chin, and jaw.

On the far side of the room, the Goliath Grog sat on the floor, staring at his massive hands. He sniffled and rubbed at his nose, then let out a deep sigh. Pike smiled up at him, “You did a good thing. You helped.”

Rising to his feet, Grog nodded, “I guess so. Didn’t feel good. I’ll wait outside.” Pike nodded, then followed the barbarian out of the room.

Johanna wiped away a tear as it rolled down her cheek. She walked over to the bed and, sobbing, took Cassandra’s hand in both of her own. “Oh, my littlest baby girl,” she whispered, “What have you done?”

From her place by the door, Keyleth pressed her hand firmly against the mark on her shoulder. It remained still and unmoving, and she could no longer feel her Master’s heartbeat through it. Her green eyes welled with tears. And then, suddenly, Cassandra shifted on the bed, murmuring quietly.

The Ashari gasped, and surged forward. “Master,” she sobbed, kneeling down beside the bed, “I did not want you to do this. I am so... I’m just glad you’re alive.”

Cassandra squeezed her mother’s hand. Slowly, her eyes opened. She found Keyleth and nodded, a smile on her lips. “Me too,” she whispered, “And I’m so glad that all of you are free.”

Keyleth let out a sigh, “I am still yours, Master. Always.” She shook her head slowly, “The others will want to see you. Shall I bring them in?”

”Not just yet. Stay here with me,” The young noblewoman said. The Half-Elf nodded, “As my Master commands.”

Cassandra blinked, and slowly started to sit up. Johanna tsked and gently held her down. Resting back against her pillow, the younger woman frowned, “It didn’t work? You’re still obeying me.”

Keyleth tilted her head, confused, “Master? I will always obey you. I am yours.”

Cassandra hummed thoughtfully, “That is true, I suppose. Mother, swat Keyleth firmly on the bottom.”

Johanna released her daughter’s hand, then gasped, “Cassandra! I most assuredly will not.”

The young noblewoman let out an enormous sigh of relief, “Oh, thank the gods, it worked. Now maybe we can find someone to remove the marks for good. I don’t believe we can trust Delilah for that.”

The older Human nodded slowly, “I think you’re right dear. Very well, a quick visit with each of the others, then I imagine you need your rest.”

~~~~~

Several hours later, Vesper and Vex’ahlia stood in the hallway outside of Cassandra’s bedroom. Vax’ildan was guarding Delilah back in Vesper’s room. Keyleth and Whitney were asleep in what was apparently once again Whitney’s one room.

Vex was pacing, just a few steps in one direction, a quick turn, and a few steps the other way. She spoke quickly, “I still don’t know what all this means. Free, not free. I’m serving a sentence, Cassandra has documents stating that my brother and I are her slaves. And then there’s you.”

Vesper’s head moved slowly as she watched the Half-Elf stalk to and fro, “Me? I have similar documents, you know. I begged her to make me her slave. Would you please stand still?”

Vex stopped and slumped against the taller woman, “I have _feelings_ for you, darling. And they’re real, I think, they weren’t just put there. But it seems, I don’t know how to put it...”

The Human wrapped the former thief in a warm embrace, “I have feelings for you, too. I love you. But I understand. It’s hard to be certain if we were just commanded to become lovers or not. We weren’t, she never said it like that. But it still feels like we weren’t in control of ourselves.”

Nodding, Vex’ahlia buried her face in Vesper’s shoulder, “That. Exactly. And the worst part is...”

”You miss it,” Vesper whispered. “I know. So do I.”

Several minutes passed quietly as the two women held one another. Eventually, Vex lifted her head. She looked up into her lover’s eyes and whispered, “I have a terrible, dreadful, awful idea.”

Vesper laughed softly, “Those are usually your best ideas. Please, let me hear it.”

The Half-Elf absently rubbed the black, swirling mark that writhed on her forehead, “Well...”

~~~~~

It was so dark inside the bedroom. Vesper didn’t have Half-Elven eyes to let her make her way through the gloom, so more than once she bumped into furniture, clamping her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out. Soon, however, she found Vex’ahlia waiting at the side of Cassandra’s bed.

The young woman, still their owner in the eyes of the law, was sprawled on her back, snoring gently. Vex’ahlia took a deep breath, and knelt down. She reached out and gently took the sleeping woman’s hand. As she began to move the fingertips toward her forehead, she felt a hand close on her shoulder.

Vesper’s face looks ones closer in the darkness. “I’m not sure this is a good idea anymore. She had herself killed to free us. What if she gets, well, mad?”

The former thief frowned, though her Human companion couldn’t see it, “Then we will apologize. But we both know it’s the right thing to do. We are already hers. This only reinforces that, makes it even more true. Right, darling?”

Vesper hummed softly for a moment, “Well, yes, but she obviously felt very strongly about this. She was willing to die so that we wouldn’t be bound to her anymore. I know it’s what _we_ want, but if we were good slaves, we would care more about what _she_ wants, wouldn’t we?”

Vex’ahlia sat quietly, just holding and gently stroking Cassandra’s fingers, “She made me love her. Just by telling me to. And I still feel it. My heart is bursting. I am supposed to be hers.”

The Human sighed gently, and stroked the Half-Elf’s hair, “I know what that felt like. But she never had you stop being in love with her, and it didn’t end when she... When she died.”

The former thief licked her lips, “Yes. It didn’t stop. I love her. I’m in love with her, and she doesn’t feel it the same way. I can’t feel her heartbeat anymore, the connection is gone, mostly. There is still this ghost of what it was. It’s like part of me is missing. Im going to get it back.”

With that, Vex’ahlia started to move Cassandra’s hand once more, even as she bent closer. Pale fingers were brought toward the shifting mark, then suddenly stopped. The hand twitched, and a very startled young woman groaned, shifted, and sat up in the bed.

”Keyleth? Is that... Wait, what is going on?” Cassandra snatched her hand away, “Vex’ahlia? Is everything alright?”

The Half-Elf slumped down against the side of the bed, “No, Mistress. Everything is not alright. I, well, Vesper and I, at least... What I am trying to explain is that we love you and, no matter what, we are still yours.”

Slowly, the young noblewoman sat up. She puffed out a breath, “I went through this to release you. All of you. I’m not going to kick you out, Vex’ahlia. You and your brother are welcome to stay, of course.”

Cassandra lightly stroked Vex’ahlia’s dark hair, “I’m sorry. I know I’ve put you all through so much. But it’s going to be better now.” She sighed, and patted the bed, “Come on up here, oh, is that Vesper? Can someone light a candle, there should be one on the nightstand.” She reached in that direction, fingers fumbling in the darkness.

A flickering yellow light burst forth from the small candle just as Cassandra’s fingers closed around something. The woman looked up, and saw her eldest sister. She gasped as she saw how close her fingers were to the shifting bindmark upon Vesper’s bare arm.

”We have got to be careful. I don’t want to risk enslaving you again. Any of you,” the younger Human said. Vex’ahlia sighed, “That’s why we crept in. To make you.” She blushed and raised her hands apologetically, “But we won’t force you. We are yours, still your slaves, even without the marks.”

Cassandra shook her head slowly, “I’m sorry. Truly. I never meant for any of you to feel like... But that compulsion should be gone. You’re not my slaves anymore. There’s no need for you to receive orders. I tested that. Mother told me no. Vex’ahlia, dear, none of this was supposed to happen.”

The Half-Elf shrugged slightly, “I know you weren’t ever trying to hurt anyone. You saved my brother. I can never repay you for that, but I do intend to try. I am yours, if you touched my mark again, I’d be willing to have that again. I...”

Anything she might have been about to say was cut off as Cassandra cried out, “I am so stupid! Vex, where is Vax right now?”

Blinking, Vex’ahlia scratched the back of her neck, “Asleep, I suppose. Or guarding Delilah.”

Cassandra nodded, “Right. And what would happen if Delilah touched his mark again?”

The Half-Elf’s expression went blank. Her lips curled back from her teeth, and an angry growl welled up from her throat, “I’ll kill her myself.” With that, she straightened and bolted out of the room.

Vesper leaned down and lightly kissed her sister on the cheek, “I’ll go check. Stay here and rest, you don’t have to look after us anymore, Mistress.”

Cassandra sighed heavily as she found herself alone in the room. She leaned over to blow out the candle when she spotted a woman she had never seen before sitting in a rocking chair that had been pulled up next to the bed.

The woman, slender, dressed in robes of deep green, smiled an unsettling grin as she leaned closer, “Good morning. It seems that you may be in a bit of a dilemma. Perhaps I can help you, my child. My name is Raishan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not too sure where this turn of events will lead. Raishan certainly has a whole lot up her sleeve, but perhaps she really can help Cassandra.


	25. A New Threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A number of rather unpleasant events unfold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quicker update. I have been feeling a bit more inspired with this story, lately.

Cassandra tried to swallow, and found that she couldn’t. Her lips moved, and the tip of her tongue stuck for a moment. She couldn’t remember her mouth ever feeling so dry. Her hands, clenched tightly on the linens that covered her, were cold and clammy.

The young woman realized had never been so frightened. Even with having literally been killed just the day before. She was terrified of the woman sitting just a few feet away.

Raishan wasn’t frightening to look at. She wasn’t exactly what Cassandra thought of as pretty. The woman was thin, sharp, with piercing pale green eyes. Cassandra found that she couldn’t pull her gaze away from those eyes. They were far too intense, fixated.

Suddenly, Raishan rose from the rocking chair. The green-clad woman turned, looking slowly about the room, “So you’re the one. Able to bond with any mark you come across, are you?”

Cassandra realized that she had been holding her breath, and suddenly inhaled sharply, gasping. She nodded slowly, hesitantly, “Y-yes. Or any I’ve touched a-so far.”

Raishan settled herself on the edge of the bed, nodding slowly, “Yes, of course. I see. That’s good. And do you know why you can do this, my dear girl?”

Swallowing audibly, Cassandra shook her head, “I have n-no idea, Ma’am. It just h-happens.”

A long, slender finger reached out, and delicately tucked a loose strand of dark brown hair behind Cassandra’s ear, “No, of course. How could you know, child? But clever little Delilah deduced it.”

Fingernails, tapered to fine points, and a deep forest green, gently stroked over the young woman’s cheek, “The Ashari was the key, of course. You must have realized how special she was. Beautiful, no doubt, like her mother.”

Recoiling, the young noblewoman shook her head, “D-don’t talk about her like you know her!” She frowned, and balled her hands into fists, “Her mother died when the Dragons came.”

Raishan leaned sharply backward, her shoulders shaking as a rough, guttural sound came from the woman. It suddenly dawned on Cassandra that Raishan was laughing. Somehow it made the stranger even more terrifying.

The green-eyed woman straightened, and shook her head slowly, “I’m afraid you’re mistaken, my dear girl. Vilya is alive and well. As for the Dragons, my lovely girl, you are speaking to one.”

Cassandra’s eyes widened. She knew immediately that the words were true. Her voice cracked as she asked, “Wh-what do you want here?”

Pale green eyes gleamed as they reflected the light of the guttering candle, “Why, I’m here for what’s mine. The Ashari princess, of course. She belongs to me.”

~~~~~

The door slammed open, and Vesper blinked in the early morning light shining through the open curtains. Vex’ahlia skidded to a halt, calling out for her brother. The male twin responded with a chuckle, “Where’s the fire, Stubby?”

The female twin looked quickly around the bedroom, “Where’s Delilah? Did she try anything?”

Vax’ildan tilted his head in confusion and pointed toward the bed with a jerk of his thumb, “She’s asleep. Like I’m supposed to be. You were supposed to relieve me almost two hours ago. What have you been up to?”

The tips of Vex’ahlia’s ears turned pink, and she turned to Vesper, “I’m going to take over watching Delilah. Can you keep an eye on my jerk of a brother?”

The Human nodded softly, and escorted Vax’ildan from the room. Vex’ahlia let out a little sigh, relieved and more than a bit embarrassed. She sat down on the bed and poked at the lump under the covers, “Wake up, already. I need to make sure you aren’t planning any trouble.”

The lump in question shifted, and let out a low groan. A surprisingly familiar groan. The Half-Elf reached down and flipped the bedclothes back, revealing her twin. The mark on his forehead was stable, and shaped like a dagger or small sword.

Vex’ahlia pulled back quickly, raising a hand to shield her eyes. The back of her mind had registered that Vax was naked, and she had no interest in looking at that, especially with the mark on his forehead. She snarled angrily, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what to do.

Cassandra could probably fix the mark. Somehow Delilah had made herself look like Vax. And now that deceitful bitch was with... “Vesper!” Vex cried out and turned toward the door. She started to run, only to feel strong fingers grabbing her shoulder and opposite arm, holding her back.

~~~~~

Vesper opened the door and smiled as Vax’ildan stepped into the room. He looked so much like his sister. Obviously the two were twins, of course. But the oldest of the de Rolo daughters had never realized how feminine the other Half-Elf’s movements could be.

She watched as he moved toward the bed. How he turned as she closed the door. His hand moved to his belt, and suddenly there was a dagger clenched in his hand, point aimed toward her. Vesper blinked and asked, “Is everything alright?”

The Half-Elf sneered, And Vesper raised her hands, “You’re safe, I promise. We were worried about Delilah touching your mark again, but we got you out of there. It’s alright.”

To the Human’s surprise, Vax’ildan threw his head back and laughed. Again, Vesper was surprised at how feminine the sound was. Then, the Half-Elf locked his eyes on the young woman’s and smiled wickedly, “Oh, indeed. Vax’ildan is safe from Delilah. But are you, dear?”

Vesper recognized the voice, and felt a chill along her spine, “Delilah... Then that means Vex is with her brother. And that you’ve bound him. Again.”

With a rippling shimmer, whatever illusion Delilah had used faded away. She smiled brightly, and brandished the dagger, “Indeed I have. And soon enough I’ll take my leave, but not until that troublesome sister of yours has been dealt with.”

Vesper reached for the door. As she turned, she saw Delilah reach into one of her pockets. The necromancer muttered words that the younger woman couldn’t understand. Suddenly, Vesper found herself unable to move, her fingers just brushing the door handle.

Delilah stepped forward, and used the tip of the dagger to brush a lock of hair back from Vesper’s face, “But before I deal with Master...” The older woman’s face twisted into an angry snarl, “...with Cassandra, I mean, I’ll need to make sure you can’t interfere.” 

Vesper could only let out a muted whimper in response. She strained against the spell that held her, but couldn’t even get her fingers to twitch. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

~~~~~

Keyleth stretched, and reached to stroke her shoulder. Nothing. No heartbeat, no connection to her Master at all. She let out a soft little sigh. It was like she had lost a limb.

She glanced down to see Whitney, curled up on the floor beside the bed. The Ashari shook her head. This was all wrong. With the marks unbound, none of the noblewomen should be slaves anymore. Maybe Vesper, since she had offered a contract. But Lady Whitney did not.

Just as the redhead was reaching down to wake the sandy-haired Human, Whitney stirred, slowly opening her eyes. She smiled gently, “Good morning, Ma’am. Are you ready for your breakfast? Maybe we should bring something to Master? I’m sure she’s hungry after everything she’s been through.”

Keyleth blinked, and smiled back, “No. I mean yes, well, no...” She paused, and sat up straight, “Lady Whitney, you are not required to serve anyone anymore. I am Master’s slave.”

The Human stood up and adjusted the simple night dress that covered her, “It is not my place to disagree with you, Ma’am, but my orders were to serve you. You are Master’s slave, that’s true, but I am yours. That hasn’t changed.”

The Ashari started to protest, then closed her lips. She nodded, “I see. If our situations were reversed, I would say the same thing. And I would feel awful if I were denied. So, until we can discuss this with Master, you will remain mine.” Keyleth blushed fiercely.

Whitney couldn’t help but giggle, though she quickly managed to compose herself. She curtsied, “As you command, Ma’am. Shall we check in on Master, then?”

Keyleth nodded and slipped off the bed. She took the Human’s hand and together the pair walked into the hallway. They made their way to what had once been Vesper’s room, which was now Cassandra’s. Whitney grasped the handle and tugged the door open.

The pair stepped into the room, and the cheery greeting that the Human had been about to offer died on her lips. There was a strange woman sitting on Cassandra’s bed. And the young noblewoman herself turned with a start as the door opened.

Cassandra gasped and cried out, “Run! Whitney, go!” The day before, she would have been obeyed without question or hesitation. Her sister would have had no choice or say in the matter. But now, with the bond broken, she hesitated.

Keyleth, however, did not. She squeezed Whitney’s hand tighter, and tugged the Human away. She had to find help, her Master was in danger. Vesper and Vex’ahlia were probably close by. Pike!

The Ashari pulled Whitney along as she rushed toward the guest quarters where the Gnome and her colossal slave were staying. They had been instrumental in dealing with Silas Briarwood, surely they could help with whoever this stranger was.

~~~~~

The door slammed closed and Raishan let out a low chuckling laugh, “Was that my prize just now? I only caught a glimpse.” She smiled, “As I said, she was the key to your ability to claim any mark you touched. Her mark is different, of course.”

Cassandra frowned, “She never should have been marked at all. She didn’t commit any crime.” She gasped as the other woman suddenly surged forward. Incredibly strong fingers grasped at the back of her head and the young woman found herself staring into a pair of intense green eyes.

”No crime? You probably believe that,” Raishan said through clenched teeth. “She is Ashari, and those pathetic creatures were nearly our ruin. They almost imprisoned Thordak, and could have cost us so much more.”

Cassandra struggled against the woman’s grasp, hissing in pain as she felt the sharp points of fingernails digging into her scalp. Raishan loosened her grip, but did not pull away, “Every Ashari owes us restitution. That is why the few remaining are slaves now. But the royalty of the Air Ashari are _mine_.”

Squirming, Cassandra tried to separate herself from Raishan’s grip. The older woman’s fingers loosened for a moment, then took a firm hold in her hair. Tugging back sharply, the green-eyed woman smiled, “She can run, but she is mine. I placed that mark upon her shoulder myself, shortly after she was born. She is destined to serve me, just as her mother does.”

”N-no, please. She hasn’t done anything to you,” Cassandra pleaded. She stopped resisting, and took a deep breath, “I’ll do anything you want. Just let her go. Please.” The young noblewoman wiped at the tears she felt sliding down her cheeks.

Raishan narrowed her eyes. She pulled back sharply on Cassandra’s hair and looked intently into the young woman’s eyes, “You would trade yourself for her?”

The young noblewoman attempted to nod, but could only jerk her head a bit, “Yes, of course I would. I...” She closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath, “Will you t-take that offer? Please?”

The green-eyed woman seemed to consider for a moment. Her fingers tightened once more in Cassandra’s hair. She rubbed absently at her chin with her free hand, “A Human girl, with a lifespan of somewhere less than a century. Determined to save her one true love, is that it?”

Before the young woman could reply, Raishan continued, “Or the long-lived noble daughter of the people who nearly took everything from me. A trained slave, who would no doubt make a similar offer to yours, dear.”

Suddenly, the green-eyed woman released her grip, “There is, of course, a third option. The Ashari slave is already mine. I could take you as well, though I have little need of a Human. But if I kept you in a little cage, the Ashari could watch you grow old and die. Hmm, that might be worthwhile.”

Cassandra shifted back away from the woman, shaking her head. She tried to slip out of the bed, but Raishan moved quickly, and stood up, “I’m not done with you yet, girl. But you’re right, it’s time to go. We need to go collect my Ashari.”

The woman grabbed Cassandra by the neck, gripping with surprising strength. She opened the door and stalked out into the hallway, dragging the younger woman with her. At nearly the same moment, Delilah appeared, a dagger held to Vesper’s throat.

Raishan smiled brightly, as though meeting an old friend, “Delilah, my dear, you’ve outdone yourself. I see you’ve put the spell book I provided you to good use. However you don’t have my Ashari, just another Human.”

Lady Briarwood struggled a bit to restrain the squirming Vesper. She frowned, “I apologize, my lady, but I will have her soon. My slave should have dealt with the other Half-Elf by now. Then we can find Keyleth.”

The green-eyed woman nodded, “Indeed. Kill that one and begin your search.”

”Of course, my- Oof!” Delilah had the wind knocked out of her as Vesper drove an elbow into the necromancer’s stomach. The oldest de Rolo daughter spun away, and reached for Cassandra, trying to pull her sister from Raishan’s grasp.

The green-eyed woman pulled her hand back to strike at Vesper. As her long-nailed hand lashed out, there came a sudden bellowing roar from the end of the hallway. An axe with a clanking chain attached flew through the air before smashing into Raishan’s shoulder.

Cassandra found herself suddenly free. She clutched at Vesper’s hand, and the sisters raced away from Raishan and Delilah. Pike, Grog, and Keyleth waited at the far end of the hall, all sights that sent the young noblewoman’s heart soaring.

Cassandra grabbed Keyleth and pulled the redhead in close. The two shared a kiss, which was interrupted by Pike, “We have to move. Come on, hurry!”

Grog yanked on the chain, tugging the axe back to his hand and the group ran around the corner. Cassandra looked around quickly, “Where are the twins?” Vesper’s face fell, “It’s my fault. Delilah probably bound Vax again, and Vex is with him.”

Pike nodded, “Let’s just get back to Whitney for now. She’s cooking up a surprise for your other guests.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that stuff happened. What’s up with the twinnies? At least they’re together, right?


	26. Plans and Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The women of Castle Whitestone find themselves slowly separating as they prepare to deal with Delilah and Raishan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Work always seems to get in the way, but I am definitely not forgetting about this story.

Vex’ahlia struggled against the sturdy ropes that held her tightly against the chair. She was in one of the bedrooms, and her brother was there. Vax’ildan stood silently, eyes on the door. He held a dagger in one hand, twirling it idly.

The bound Half-Elf stopped her squirming and sighed, “You look bored over there, brother. If you need something to do, you could always untie me. Just a thought.”

The dagger stopped moving. Vax’ildan turned to his sister, “I want to. But you know I cannot. My Mistress ordered me to hold you here until she returns. If you escape, or if Cassandra comes in first, I... I’ll have to...”

”Kill me. Of course. I understand,” Vex murmured. She glanced at the door, “She’ll probably have you do that when she comes back, anyway.”

Vax nodded slowly, “I suppose so. She wanted to control you too, and never could. I wish it could be another way. But at least you won’t be her puppet.”

Vex smirked, “I guess that’s the silver lining. Maybe it’s not too late to save you. I’m sure Cassandra is working on a plan to save us.”

~~~~~

Pike held a finger to her lips before opening the door to Whitney’s laboratory. The group in the hallway shifted nervously, except for the Goliath. Grog twisted his massive hands around the handle of his axe.

Besides the Gnome and her immense companion, there were Cassandra, Keyleth, and Vesper. Each of the women seemed concerned, but quietly shuffled into the room at a gesture from Pike. Cassandra smiled as she saw both Whitney and her mother Johanna in the small chamber.

The young noblewoman smiled tightly at Whitney, “Pike said you had a surprise in store for our uninvited guests. What can we do to help?”

The middle de Rolo daughter wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, leaving a smudge of grease and black dust. She shrugged and gestured to a small stack of what appeared to be thin metal tubes or pipes, “Not much to help with now. I’ve got no time to test them properly, but I managed to finish refining the design of my thundersticks. These _should_ be more accurate.”

Cassandra nodded, “That’s amazing. How many are there?”

Whitney pursed her lips, “Four, but I haven’t had a chance to make very much ammunition yet. They use smaller shot than the original design. The new shot is much denser, and has more of a conical shape, so it should be more aerodynamic and...”

Vesper cleared her throat, “We probably don’t need to know every detail, Whit. How much ammunition did you prepare?”

Whitney blushed a little, “Six shots? I know it isn’t much, but I wasn’t really expecting... this.”

Cassandra frowned, “Then we just have to make sure we don’t waste any chances. Keyleth, Raishan is here for you, so you need one and at least two of the shots. Whitney, you made them, so same thought. Hm, Grog is probably too big...”

Keyleth shook her head. She clenched her hand into a fist, “Master, no.”

The young noblewoman blinked, “Hm? Well, maybe Grog could fit a finger inside the trigger guard, but I don’t think...”

With a frown, the Ashari shook her head, “Master, that is not what I meant. You need to go. Run. As far as you can. Take your family and friends and go.”

Cassandra reached out to lightly touch Keyleth’s arm. The redhead pulled back, “Your life means more than mine, all of you.” She set her jaw and took the Lon weapon from Whitney, “Please go. You said it yourself. It’s me that she wants.”

It seemed for a moment that Cassandra was about to say something. Before she could, however, Johanna de Rolo stepped forward, “Keyleth, you may be somewhat new to this family, but you are absolutely part of it. And there is no way in the world that any of us would abandon family.”

Keyleth blinked softly, “I... I don’t...” She looked to Vesper and Whitney. Both of the older de Rolo daughters nodded their agreement.

Cassandra smiled gently, her hand settling upon the Ashari’s shoulder, “I am not going to leave you. Never again. So let’s make a plan.”

~~~~~

Raishan clutched at her injury with one hand, absently waving away the nattering Human that hovered over her, “Don’t worry about me, you fool. Find the Ashari girl and bring her to me if you can. Kill the rest.”

Delilah swallowed nervously, “Of course, my lady. It’s just that I haven’t... You see, the spell book you brought for me...”

Green eyes narrowing, Raishan reached out and clutched at the Necromancer’s arm. “Don’t you dare offer excuses to me,” she hissed. She stared into the woman’s eyes a moment longer, then loosened her grip.

Delilah bobbed her head in a nod, and hurried from the room.

Raishan pulled back the cloth from her shoulder to inspect the wound. It wasn’t much, really, all things considered. Yet, somehow, one of these creatures had managed to wound her. That could not go unpunished.

~~~~~

Cassandra held her breath as she peeked around the corner. The long hallway was empty. It had been the last place she’d seen Delilah and Raishan, and she was hoping they were still there, but there was no sign of either.

The young noblewoman slipped back to where Whitney and Keyleth waited. They had three of the weapons, and five of the shots between them. Vesper waited back in the armory with the last of each. Johanna had gone to try and get the men and servants out of the castle.

Whitney frowned, “Nothing? They could be anywhere. They could even...” The sandy-haired woman paused to yawn, covering her mouth with her hand. Before she could finish expressing her thought, she slumped to the floor in a heap.

Keyleth gasped as she watched the woman collapse. She looked quickly to Cassandra, who also attempted to cover a yawn, “Master, I don’t think this is natural.”

Cassandra tried to stay upright, but found herself overwhelmed with exhaustion. A moment later, she was on the floor beside her sister, fast asleep. Her weapon clattered to the stone floor.

The Ashari looked around cautiously, seemingly unaffected by whatever had sent the de Rolo siblings into slumber. A blur of movement caught her eye and she turned, lowering the barrel of her weapon. Delilah stepped out into the hallway, smiling wickedly.

Arcane energy swirled like sickly green smoke around the Necromancer’s fingers. She lowered her hand toward the sleeping women, “Drop that device and come with me quietly, or Master... I mean Cassandra dies.”

Delilah gritted her teeth, “I should just kill her now anyway. I cannot wait to be rid of her influence.”

Keyleth’s lip pulled back in a snarl, “She is your Master, just as she is mine. You will never hurt her, Delilah. I won’t let you.”

The Necromancer’s eyes flashed, “This is your last chance. Drop that thing and come with me to your true owner.”

The redhead frowned, shaking her head, “I will not leave Master.” Her finger moved against the weapon’s trigger, “Get down on the floor, or I will be forced to kill you.”

Delilah raised her hand, the swirling arcane energy shifting and sparking. Keyleth’s hand twitched. There was a sound like a thunderclap. The Ashari felt a pain in her shoulder as the weapon jerked in her grasp.

Smoke filled the hallway. Keyleth’s ears rang, and she could now neither see nor hear. She had lost track of the Necromancer.

She dropped the weapon, not knowing how to reload it. Bending down, she started to reach for one of the others that Whitney or Cassandra had been holding. Before she could find either of the wood and metal devices, however, she felt a firm grasp on her shoulder.

As the ringing in her ears faded, the smoke began to clear. Keyleth felt herself pulled roughly to her feet by someone behind her. She could see Delilah on the floor, bleeding from a terrible wound in her chest.

Suddenly, Keyleth was spun around. A pair of intense green eyes stared into her own. She could feel the mark on her shoulder, a burst of sudden flaring pain.

Raishan smiled wickedly as she pulled Keyleth close, “Here you are at last, my lost little Ashari slave. It’s time to take you home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Things are going to seem worse before they get better. This one will hopefully lead to a happy ending.


End file.
